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i«iii 


REPORT 


OF    A 


COMMITTEE  OF  THE  TRUSTEES 


OF 


COLUMBIA  COLLEGE, 


APPOINTED    TO 

INQUIRE  INTO  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  INSTITUTION, 

AND  TO  CONSIDER  SUCH  MEASURES  AS  MIGHT 

BE  JUDGED   EXPEDIENT  TO   INCREASE 

ITS  EFFICIENCY  AND  USEFULNESS. 


PRINTED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE  TRUSTEES  AND  FOR  THEIR  USE. 


53'£tD-^orlt : 

JOHN    W.    AMERMAN,    PRINTER, 
No.  47  Cedar-street. 

1858. 


1^'^ 


-h 


KEPORT. 


To  the,  Trustees  of  Columbia  College  in  the  City  of  New- 
York  : 

The    Committee  appointed  by   them  to  inquire  into  the 
state  of  the  Institution  respectfully  report : 

That  in  the  performance  of  the  duty  committed  to  them, 
they  have  proposed  to  the  President  and  Professors  a  series 
of  questions,  and  received  their  answers  to  them,  in  confor- 
mity to  the  resolutions  under  which  the  Committee  were 
appointed,  each  question  being  proposed  orally  and  the 
answer  taken  down  in  writing,  as  given  at  the  time.  There 
were  few  exceptions  to  this  mode  of  proceeding,  and  those 
only  where  manifest  propriety  and  convenience  dictated  a 
departure  from  the  rule.  The  Committee  also  elicited  the 
statements  of  Presidents  and  Professors  of  other  institutions 
of  learning,  and  of  other  gentlemen  known  to  be  competent 
to  give  valuable  suggestions  and  advice  concerning  the  sub- 
jects under  consideration.  These  statements  were  made  in 
reply  to  circular  questions  issued  by  the  Committee.  The 
Librarian  was  also  examined  by  the  Committee  ;  and  an  ab- 
stract has  been  made  of  such  portions  of  the  minutes  of  the 
Board  of  the  College  as  seemed  to  be  important  in  connection 
with  the  matters  referred.  The  materials  thus  collected 
have,  under  the  direction  of  the  Trustees,  been  printed,  and 
are  herewith  submitted.  They  will  be  referred  to  from  time 
to  time  in  the  progress  of  this  report. 

The  Committee  was  appointed  on  the  10th  September, 
1856,  Their  inquiry  commenced  soon  afterwards,  and  was 
mainly  terminated  only  in  August,  1857,  since  which  time 


they  have  given  such  attention  to  the  subject  as  their  private 
business  would  allow. 

By  the  reference  made  to  the  Committee  at  the  time  of 
their  appointment,  it  became  their  duty  to  inquire  into  the 
present  and  past  administration  of  the  system  of  education 
and  discipline  of  the  College  and  Grammar  School,  and  their 
condition  in  respect  to  government,  order,  discipline  and 
efficient  and  thorough  instruction,  and  the  observance  of  the 
statutes ;  to  report  fully  upon  the  matters  referred,  stating  their 
opinion  thereon  ;  and  if  they  should  find  any  defects,  either 
in  the  statutes  or  their  practical  application,  to  state  the 
causes  of  the  same,  and  recommend  such  measures  as  might 
be  deemed  necessary  for  their  correction,  suggesting  such 
alterations  as,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Committee,  would  tend 
to  the  orderly  government  of  the  students,  and  to  the  ascer- 
taining and  enforcing  their  attention  and  proficiency. 

By  a  subsequent  reference  it  was  also  made  the  duty  of 
the  Committee  to  take  the  statements  and  opinions  of  the 
President  and  Members  of  the  Faculty  and  other  persons, 
upon  the  subject  of  an  University  course  of  instruction. 

It  will  thus  be  perceived  that  the  subject  with  which  the 
Committee  has  had  to  deal  is  a  very  wide  one  ;  in  tact,  cover- 
ing all  the  various  particulars  of  the  scheme  for  the  govern- 
ment, instruction  and  discipline  of  the  students  which  are 
expressed  in  the  College  statutes,  and  involving  an  investi- 
gation into  the  present  condition  of  the  Institution,  and  the 
consideration  of  such  measures  as  might  be  judged  expe- 
dient to  increase  its  efticiency  and  usefulness. 

The  general  object  of  the  Trustees,  in  devising  a  system  of 
statutes,  is  to  provide  a  course  and  method  of  instruction.  A 
certain  class  of  regulations  is  necessary  to  accomplish  this 
main  purpose.  But  further  rules  are  requisite  for  its  prac- 
tical accomplishment ;  which  may,  for  the  sake  of  order  and 
method  in  the  distribution  of  the  several  topics  discussed  in 
this  report,  be  thus  divided  :  1.  Such  as  operate  upon  the 
students  to  secure  their  attention  and  proficiency  and  good 
behavior ;  2.  Such  as  prescribe  the  powers  and  duties  of  the 
President  and  Professors,  to  give  vitality,  energy  and  effi- 


ciency  to  tiie  system  ;  3.  Such  as  provide  for  the  supervision 
and  superintendence  of  the  practical  operation  of  the  whole 
plan,  to  secure  its  continued  and  constant  efficiency. 

First,  as  regards  a  course  and  method  of  instruction. 

The  consideration  of  the  course  of  instruction  belongs  to 
another  Committee,  to  whom  this  Committee  would  recom- 
mend a  reference  of  so  much  of  the  materials  herewitli  sub- 
mitted as  relates  to  that  subject.  This  Committee  would, 
however,  make  one  or  two  suggestions  on  this  subject.  Tlie 
statute  lately  passed  requires  some  amendments  to  make  it 
conform  to  the  scheme  of  attendance  adopted  by  the  Trustees, 
and  is  in  one  particular  inconsistent  witli  the  statute  on  ad- 
missions, as  pointed  out  by  Professor  Drisler,  at  pages  66,  67 
of  Ins  statement.  Moreover,  this  Committee  would  suggest 
the  particular  designation  of  a  course  of  instruction  in  Grer- 
man,  and  in  other  modern  languages,  when  attendances  upon 
Professors  of  those  languages  shall  be  provided  for,  to  carry 
out  the  recommendations  hereinafter  made  in  reference  to 
regulations  for  those  departments. 

While  this  Committee  do  not  deem  it  their  duty  to  recom- 
mend any  specific  alteration  in  the  course  of  study — that  office 
belonging  to  others — there  are  yet  considerations  connected 
with  its  success,  touching  the  method  of  teaching  the  sub- 
jects prescribed  by  the  statute  on  the  course,  which,  as  tend- 
ing to  give  practical  efficiency  to  that  course,  they  think  they 
ought  not  to  leave  without  treating. 

A  question  in  this  connection,  upon  which  the  Committee 
have  bestowed  much  consideration,  and  in  relation  to  which 
several  of  the  gentlemen,  whose  statements  are  submitted, 
have  given  their  opinion,  refers  to  the  expediency  of  the  use 
of  text-books  in  the  several  departments,  and  the  mode  of 
their  selection  and  designation.  On  comparing  those  state- 
ments, it  wull  be  found  that  the  President  and  all  those  Pro- 
fessors of  the  College  who  have  expressed  theirviewson  this 
subject,  agree  that  instruction  in  every  department  ought  to 
be  from  text-books,  provided  proper  books  can  be  procured ; 
and,  with  one  exception,  they  advise  that  the  books  should 
be  selected  and  designated   by  the  Professor,  subject  to  the 


approval  of  the  Trustees,  and  changed  only  on  his  suggestion, 
subject  to  the  like  approval.  In  this  opinion  Chancellor 
Tappan,  Mr.  Stewart,  Dr.  Hale,  President  Bourns,  Professor 
Tucker  and  Bishop  Potter,  of  Pennsylvania,  concur.  On  the 
other  hand,  Mr.  Strong,  Dr.  Lieber  and  Professor  Yethake 
think  that  the  widest  discretion  ought  to  be  allowed  to  each 
Professor.  There  is  thus  apparent  a  strong  preponderance  of 
opinion  in  favor  of  the  authoritative  designation  of  text-books 
as  a  general  rule. 

As  a  means  of  instruction  to  put  a  proper  work  in  the 
hands  of  the  student,  and  to  require  him  to  master  its  con- 
tents, will  more  effectually  secure  his  making  himself  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  the  subject,  and  better  enable  him 
to  preserve  the  connection  of  its  several  parts,  than  any  oral 
instruction  alone  could  do  ;  and  the  mere  exercise  of  the 
mind,  in  the  thoughtful  and  thorough  study  of  an  approved 
work,  is  of  very  great  advantage,  apartfrom  any  positive  know- 
ledge thereby  acquired.  Indeed,  the  question  is  not  as  to  the 
advantage  of  the  use  of  text-books,  for  they  are  used  in  all  de- 
partments of  the  College  to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  In  some 
they  are  indispensable,  as  in  Mathematics  and  the  Classics. 
But  the  inquiry  is,  ought  they  to  be  designated  by  statute, 
and  to  what  extent  ought  they  to  be  made  the  basis  of  in- 
struction? 

The  result  of  the  inquiries  of  the  Committee  would  seem 
to  show  that  some  regulation  of  this  subject  by  statute  is 
necessary.  At  least  one  of  the  Professors  required  the  stu- 
dents to  use  text-books,  of  which  he  is  the  author,  for  those 
parts  of  the  course  of  which  they  treat.  Doubtless  a  Profes- 
sor, so  situated,  would  be  really  of  opinion  that  the  success  of 
his  instruction  would  be  promoted  by  the  use  of  his  own 
works,  and  that  opinion  might  be  correct,  but  reasons  are 
obvious  why,  even  in  that  case,  the  decision  on  this  point 
should  not  be  made  by  the  author  himself. 

Another  of  the  Professors  had  uniformly  adopted  the  prac- 
tice of  giving  to  his  class  a  list  of  the  best  text-books,  stating 
that  any  one  of  them  would  be  satisfactory  ;  in  addition  to 
this,  either  requiring  or  inciting  the  students  to  make  refer- 


ences  on  the  pages  of  their  note-books  to  general  reading, 
with   their  authorities.    This  designation  of  several  works, 
with  the  liberty  of  choice  in  the  student,  who  can  hardly  be 
supposed  to  have  capacity  to  choose  discreetly,  seems  to  the 
Committee  open  to  objection  ;  making  it  almost  impossible 
to  ascertain  the  knowledge  of  any  student  of  the  text  he 
selects  to  the  profit  of  others  who  have  made  a  different  selec- 
tion, leading  the  students  to  desultory  instead  of  careful  read- 
ing, and  rendering  it  impracticable  to  grade  them  accord- 
ing to  their  several  degrees  of  proficiency  by  a  common  test, 
which  shall  be  both  just,  and  the  justice  of  which  all  may  re- 
cognise.    The  Committee  have  reason   to  believe  that  the 
notes  of  references  to  authorities  have  sometimes  been  made 
by  the  students  by  means  of  hurried  and  careless  examina- 
tion of  books  for  that  mere  purpose,  the  time  at  their  dis- 
posal allowing  them  to  do  nothing  more  than  make  a  show  to 
obtain  credit  with  the  Professor,  without  any  profit  to  them- 
selves, but  on  the  contrary,  to  their  injury,  through  the  waste 
of  time  that  might  have  been  usefully  employed  ;  this  prac- 
tice,  at  the  same  time,  encouraging  a  habit  of  superficial 
reading,  instead  of  the  research  which  is  the  object  sought. 
If  only  one  approved  text-book  were  used  by  the  whole  class, 
the  contents  of  which  each  student  should  be  required  to 
master,  all  would  have  a   common  task,  the  examination  of 
each  would  be  comprehended  by  all  the  others,  and  there 
would  be  presented  a  uniform  and  well-understood  test  of 
proficiency.      Moreover,   if  instead   of  the   students   being 
stimulated  to  search  for  authorities,  they  were  directed  to 
particular  parts  of  works  proper  for  them  to  read  in  connec- 
tion  with  any  controverted  points,  in  place  of  dissipation 
there  would  result  a  concentration  of  attention. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  inquiries  of  the  Committee  on  this 
point  show  the  necessity  of  the  designation  of  text-books  by 
statute  ;  for  if  there  be  one  system  of  instruction  the  best 
adapted  to  secure  the  proper  training  of  the  students,  it 
ought  to  be  adopted  and  enforced.  It  is  said  that  each 
teacher  has  his  own  method  of  instruction,  to  interfere  with 
which  would  impair  his  efficiency.     But  the  adoption  of  text- 


books  in  which  students  should  be  required  to  be  prepared, 
would  still  leave  a  wide  field  for  the  exercise  of  the  discretion 
of  cacli  Professor.  He  could  comment  on  the  text,  lecture 
on  the  points  arising,  state  and  enforce  his  own  views,  and 
refer  particularly  to  other  authorities.  The  students  would 
be  careful  readers  as  well  as  hearers;  and  the  injunction  of 
our  statute,  that  they  "  shall  be  habituated,  as  far  as  may  be 
practicable,  to  study  subjects,  rather  than  whole  books,  and 
shall  be  directed  by  their  instructors  to  the  sources  whence 
they  may  best  derive  assistance,"  would  be  complied  with. 

But  there  is  another  view  in  connection  with  which  a  regu- 
lation of  the  kind  recommended  seems  to  be  necessary. 

The  Committee  on  the  course  have  forcibly  advocated  the 
truth  of  the  principle,  that  the  proper  object  of  instruction  of 
undergraduates  is  to  train  and  discipline  the  mind ;  only  to 
impart  absolute  or  special  knowledge  so  far  as  may  be  ac- 
complished collaterally  in  the  process  of  training,  but  to  fix 
habits  of  close  attention  and  application,  and  to  induce  the 
ready  exercise  of  the  reasoning  faculties.  Upon  this  basis 
avowedly  the  statute  on  the  course  of  study  was  framed.  It 
was  doubtless  intended,  both  by  that  Committee  and  by  the 
Trustees,  that  each  department  of  study  should  be  confined 
and  restrained  to  such  limits  that  the  effect  of  its  pursuit, 
even  if  considered  without  reference  to  other  branches,  should 
be  to  exercise  the  mental  powers,  and  not  run  into  special 
professional  instruction  ;  but  when  considered  in  connection 
with  other  departments,  that  it  should  have  only  its  propor- 
tional importance  in  due  subordination  to  the  other  parts  of 
the  scheme  considered  as  a  whole.  If  the  whole  course  is 
wisely  constructed  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  end  in  view, 
(as  was  certainly  designed,)  it  is  to  be  pursued  thorouglily  in 
all  its  parts,  none  to  be  neglected,  but  each  to  be  mastered  to 
the  degree  and  extent  prescribed ;  and  relative  attention  to 
any  one  department  cannot  be  increased  without  serious  detri- 
ment. This  detriment  would  consist  not  only  in  the  disre- 
gard of  the  proper  end  of  instruction  in  a  particular  subject, 
and  the  encouragement  of  a  tendency  to  the  exercise  of  spe- 
cial powers,  but  also  in  the  necessary  consequence  of  pro- 


ducing  neglect  of  the  studies  of  other  departments.  The 
intention  and  rule  are,  that  all  departments  of  study  shall  be 
mastered  to  the  extent  prescribed,  and  our  course  is  too 
severe  to  render  this  possible,  if  any  one  branch  be  stretched 
beyond  its  due  limit. 

It  is  therefore  submitted,  that  a  due  regard  either  to  the 
aim  of  our  instruction  or  to  the  ability  of  the  student  to  ac- 
complish the  work  we  allot  to  him,  requires  us  carefully  to 
specify  the  extent  of  instruction  in  each  department,  not 
only  absolutely  in  reference  to  itself,  but  relatively  in  refer- 
ence to  others. 

It  seems  to  the  Committee  that  this  end  is  not  accomplished 
by  the  statute  on  the  course,  l^or,  indeed,  does  it  appear  that 
its  accomplishment  was  within  the  scope  or  design  of  the  in- 
structions given  by  the  Trustees  to  the  Committee  on  that 
subject,  adhering  to  which  they  departed  as  little  as  possible 
from  the  then  existing  statute.  The  statute  passed  upon  their 
report  designates  subjects  in  the  most  general  terms,  leaving 
the  extent  of  instruction  intended  entirely  uncertain,  and 
necessarily  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  several  Professors ;  and 
where,  in  the  Classical  departments,  particular  authors  are 
prescribed,  it  declares  that  such  of  the  works  specified,  or 
such  portions  of  them,  shall  be  read  as  the  Professor  and  the 
President  shall  think  fit. 

The  necessity  of  some  regulation  of  the  proportionate  at- 
tention to  be  given  to  each  study  was  felt  when  the  scheme 
of  attendance  was  settled.  The  object  of  this  scheme  was 
properly  to  divide  the  time  and  attention  of  the  students 
amongst  the  several  Professors.  But  although  in  some  de- 
gree accomplishing  that  object,  it  is  not  of  itself  sufficient. 
There  is  still  a  great  latitude  permitted,  which  allows  room 
for  the  Professor  to  extend  the  course  beyond  due  bounds,  to 
invite  voluntary  exercises,  or,  where  different  subjects  for  the 
same  session  are  assigned,  to  give  one  an  undue  preponder- 
ance over  another.  Experience  shows  that  a  Professor,  as 
a  general  rule,  does  not  justly  appreciate  the  amount  of 
study  of  his  own  special  subjects  which  is  compatible  with 
a  due  attention  to  those  of  other  Professors,  and,  therefore,  in 


10 

sotiie  cases  is  disposed  to  press  or  incite  the  student  to  too 
great  ju-o^ress  in  his  own  department.  This  tendency,  your 
Connnittee  suggest,  may  properly  be  restrained,  as  incom- 
patible with  the  general  and  unitbrni  training  which  is  re- 
quisite to  the  complete  education  of  the  pupil. 

If,  then,  it  be  requisite  for  the  complete  eflSciency  of  the 
instruction  in  the  College,  that  the  precise  limits  of  the  course 
in  each  subject  should  be  prescribed  by  statute,  the  question 
arises,  how  is  this  practicable  ?  Where  proper  text-books  can 
be  procured,  they  may  be  designated,  witli  the  parts  proper 
for  instruction  in  a  particular  session  (if  a  selection  should 
be  necessary)  specially  prescribed.  In  the  Classical  dei)art- 
ment  alternative  courses  may  be  constructed  in  the  manner 
pointed  out  by  Professor  Drisler,  at  page  60  of  his  testimony, 
with  the  liberty  in  the  Professor  to  select  any  one  course  for 
a  particular  class.  But  in  some  departments  it  may  be  im- 
possible always  to  find  proper  text-books.  In  such  cases 
there  should  be  a  particular  designation  of  heads  of  subjects, 
distinctly  prescribing  the  extent  of  instruction.  The  course, 
thus  particularly  defined,  would  be  matter  of  positive  statute. 

To  frame  such  a  statute  would,  no  doubt,  be  a  labor  of  great 
difficulty.  Yet,  if  the  preceding  views  are  sound,  such  a 
statute  should  be  enacted;  and  from  its  enactment,  if  framed 
by  such  competent  hands  as  to  command  the  perfect  confi- 
dence of  the  Trustees  in  the  wisdom  of  its  provisions,  there 
would  result  in  this  Board  uniformity  of  opinion  on  this  im- 
portant subject,  and  in  place  of  the  constant  change  pro- 
duced by  the  repeated  applications  of  Professors  for  greater 
time  to  be  given  to  their  particular  departments,  yielded  to 
with  too  great  facility,  we  would  secure  the  permanency  due 
to  a  well-considered  system. 

This  work  might  be  assigned  to  gentlemen  of  acknow- 
ledged attainments  and  ability  in  the  several  departments  of 
instruction,  who  are  entirely  disconnected  with  the  institu- 
tion, or  to  a  Committee  of  this  Board,  or  to  the  Faculty  of 
the  College.  All  these  modes  have  engaged  the  attention  of 
the  Committee.  In  their  judgment  a  commission  appointed 
for  the  purpose  should  possess  three  requisites :  1.  A  special 


11 

acquaintance,  existing  in  some  members  of  the  body,  with 
each  brancli  of  knowledge  to  be  contained  in  the  course.  2. 
Experience  in  instruction.  3.  Familiarity  with  the  average 
ability  and  aptitude  of  the  students  of  the  College.  All  these 
requisites  are  possessed  by  the  Faculty  alone.  Some  of  the 
members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  have  had  experience  in 
instruction,  more  have  special  knowledge  of  particular  de- 
partments, but  none  have  that  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  capabilities  of  the  under-graduates,  which  can  be  ac- 
quired only  by  the  daily  intercourse  in  the  College ;  and  the 
necessary  attention  to  their  ordinary  professional  duties  would 
render  Trustees  unable  to  give  careful,  deliberate  attention 
to  the  necessary  details.  Strangers  to  the  Institution  would 
be  wanting  in  the  third  requisite.  For  these  reasons  the  Com- 
mittee would  recommend  that  power  be  given  to  the  Board 
of  the  College,  and  it  be  made  their  duty  to  frame  a  scheme 
in  which  shall  be  specified  both  the  subjects  and  the  extent 
of  instruction  in  each  department,  by  reference  to  text-books, 
where  proper  books  can  be  procured,  and  in  other  cases  by 
particular  and  definite  reference  to  heads  or  divisions;  so  that 
the  precise  extent  of  instruction  in  each  department  may  be 
definitely  prescribed  ;  and  also  to  frame  a  scheme  of  attend- 
ance in  conformity  with  the  course  of  instruction  ;  both 
which  schemes,  on  being  reported  to  the  Trustees,  shall  have 
the  force  of  a  statute,  and  be  incorporated  with  the  statutes 
of  the  College.  The  other  details  of  such  a  reference  will 
be  embraced  in  a  resolution  to  be  proposed  for  passage  by 
the  Trustees,  and  to  be  appended  to  this  report. 

The  subject  of  the  emploj^ment  of  tutors  as  assistants  to 
the  several  Professors  has  come  under  the  consideration  of 
the  Committee.  The  system  of  casting  upon  the  Professor 
the  doubleduty  of  lecturing  and  hearing  recitations  is  of  long 
standing  in  this  Institution,  and  is  common,  it  is  believed,  to 
all  Colleges  in  the  United  States.  In  special  schools  the 
practice  is  different.  A  recommendation  to  change  this 
method  would  not  be  listened  to  with  favor :  nor,  indeed,  do 
the  Committee  think  it  desirable.  To  bring  the  students,  in 
all  their  exercises,  under  the  eye  and  observation  of  the  Pro- 


12 

fessor,  must  be  a  great  advantage.  And  it  seems  to  the  Com- 
mittee, that  under  the  arrangement  now  made  for  the  division 
of  the  classes  into  sections,  with  an  adequate  preparation  at 
entrance  duly  enforced,  it  is  perfectly  practicable  for  the 
Professor  to  attend  M-ithout  assistance  to  the  proper  instruc- 
tion of  tlie  students.  A  large  increase  in  the  number  of  stu- 
dents might,  indeed,  render  the  employment  of  tutors  or  as- 
sistants necessary  for  the  drilling  and  examination  of  the 
students,  in  aid  of  the  Professor,  who  ought,  nevertheless, 
liimself  to  perform  the  same  duty  so  far  as  time  would  admit. 

The  employment  of  tutors,  however,  is  recommended  on 
other  grounds.  A  student  may  be  dismissed  or  suspended, 
and  during  the  continuance  of  his  punishment  must  be  ab- 
sent from  College  exercises;  he  may  be  found  deficient  at  an 
intermediate  examination,  in  which  case  he  might  be  con- 
tinued in  the  Institution  until  the  concluding  examination, 
then  to  abide  that  final  test ;  or  without  suffering  any  pun- 
ishment, or  being  found  wanting  upon  the  ajDplication  of  the 
test  of  examination,  he  may  feel  that  he  requires  assistance 
beyond  that  which  the  regular  performance  of  the  duties  of 
the  Professor  will  enable  him  to  bestow.  In  all  these  cases 
it  is  desirable  that  there  should  be  an  officer  or  officers  of  the 
College  to  whose  instruction  the  Faculty  might  direct  the 
student  in  cases  of  discipline,  or  recommend  him,  upon  his 
own  application,  to  resort;  and  to  secure  the  permanent  ser- 
vice of  one  or  more  tutors,  to  be  strictly  confined,  so  far  as  the 
College  is  concerned,  to  the  performance  of  the  duties  above 
indicated,  it  would  be  well  that  they  should  have  a  small  an- 
nual compensation,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  College  treasury, 
and  should  receive,  in  addition,  from  the  students,  fees  to  be 
regulated  by  College  statutes. 

As  to  reviews  :  The  Committee  think  that  the  revision  of 
their  studies  by  the  students,  under  the  direction  of  the  Pro- 
fessor, is  in  the  highest  degree  important ;  it  constitutes  a 
repetition  that  they  might  with  advantage  make  for  themselves 
oftener  than  the  statute  requires,  but  which  ought  to  be  se- 
cured at  least  once  in  a  term.  But  the  proper  time  and 
method  of  this  review  is  a  question  admitting  of  more  doubt. 


13 

The  present  statute  seems,  by  implication  at  least,  to  require 
that  the  revision  take  place  at  the  end  of  each  term,  and  that 
it  shall  be  pursued  during  a  period  of  time  to  be  exclusively 
devoted  to  this  exercise.  We  are  satisfied,  from  the  state- 
ments made  to  us  by  the  President  and  Professors,  that  the 
practice,  according  to  this  construction,  has  encouraged  the 
students  to  postpone  their  preparation  to  the  period  assigned 
for  review,  mainly  in  order  to  fit  themselves  for  examination, 
and  thus,  in  many  cases,  instead  of  being,  in  fact,  a  revision, 
it  has  only  aff'orded  an  additional  opportunity  for  original 
acquisition,  and  thus  promoted  indolence  and  inattention,  to 
the  detriment  of  proper  training.  The  object  of  repetition, 
and  of  testing  thereby  the  continued  progress  of  the  student, 
could  be  better  attained  by  requiring  that  the  review  should 
be  conducted  from  time  to  time  throughout  the  session. 
This  plan  would  not  be  subject  to  the  very  serious  objections 
to  which  the  method  now  prevailing  is  liable. 

The  proper  method  of  instruction  of  the  students  in  elocu- 
tion has  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Committee.  The  stat- 
utes were  always  silent  as  to  the  time  or  place  for  the  per- 
formance of  exercises  in  oratory,  nor  did  they  ever  contain 
any  regulation  for  special  instruction  in  this  dtpartinent,  fur- 
ther than  to  throw  upon  the  Professor  of  Rhetoric  the  duty 
of  instruction  in  the  Elements  of  Oratory  in  tiie  Sophomore 
year.  The  Board  of  Trustees,  however,  appointed  a  Profes- 
sor of  Elocution,  the  attendance  upon  whom  has  been  volun- 
tary, and  seems  to  have  been  very  irregular  and  without 
advantageous  results.  Lately  the  Board  have  dispensed 
with  this  office,  and  have  imposed  its  duties  upon  the  Pro- 
fessor of  Rhetoric,  to  whose  chair  they  properly  belono-. 
There  is  still,  however,  no  designation  of  this  subject  of  in- 
struction in  the  statute  on  the  course,  where  it  might  properly 
be  inserted  in  the  curriculum  of  each  year.  But  the  practice 
in  relation  to  tiie  time  and  place  of  performing  the  exercises 
in  declamation  has  varied.  Formerly,  and  until  late  in  the 
Presidency  of  Dr.  Duer,  the  following  was  the  method  :  In 
the  Chapel,  immediately  after  the  termination  of  the  religious 
service,  one  student  from  each  of  the  three  lower  classes  in 


u 

turn  delivered  an  oration  which  he  had  committed  to 
memory,  either  selected  from  a  standard  collection,  or  origi- 
nal ;  and  on  Saturday,  on  which  day  the  students  assembled 
at  the  usual  hour  for  religious  services,  four  students  of  the 
Senior  class  declaimed  original  essays  ;  after  these  exercises 
on  tbat  day  were  concluded,  the  students  met  in  the  rooms  of 
tlieir  literary  societies  to  return  and  receive  books  from  their 
libraries,  or  attended  the  Board  of  tbe  College,  met  for  the 
purpose  of  administering  general  discipline,  according  to  a 
statutory  provision  which  still  stands  in  the  printed  copies  of 
the  statutes,  but  which  has  long  been  obsolete  under  the  as- 
sumed sanction  of  the  Trustees,  the  Faculty  now  meeting  on 
Friday  instead  of  Saturday.  Tbe  stated  meetings  of  the 
Board  of  the  College  on  the  last  named  day  being  discon- 
tinued, the  attendance  of  the  students  was  entirely  dispensed 
with,  and  the  Seniors  thenceforth  delivered  their  orations  on 
the  same  days  with  the  other  students.  Recently  a  still  greater 
change  has  taken  place.  Upon  the  appointment  of  a  chaplain 
to  conduct  the  Chapel  services,  and  the  adoption  of  the  wise 
and  salutary  arrangements  to  make  those  services  more  ap- 
propriate and  solemn,  declamation  in  the  Chapel  was  entirely 
discontinued  ;  and  since  the  removal  of  the  College  to  49tli 
street,  the  orations  of  the  students  have  been  delivered  in 
the  lecture-room  before  the  Professor  of  Rhetoric  and  the 
class,  or  a  section  of  the  class.  The  motive  that  induced 
this  last  change,  which  is  understood  to  have  been  sanctioned 
by  the  Chapel  Committee  of  this  Board,  was  no  doubt  to  pro- 
mote the  decorous  and  reverential  behavior  of  the  students 
in  a  place  where  religious  services  are  conducted,  by  discon- 
necting it  with  all  other  uses.  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the 
advantages  of  this,  or  of  its  beneficial  influence  upon  the 
students.  But  this  arrangement  (with  which  it  is  not  pro- 
posed to  interfere)  leaves  us  without  any  College  Hall ;  yet 
such  a  room  is,  it  seems  to  this  Committee,  under  the  present 
system,  absolutely  necessary,  not  only  for  exercises  in  public 
spetiking,  but  for  other  purposes.  A  separate  and  appro- 
priate building  could  be  erected  on  the  College  ground,  either 
a  Hall  or  Chapel,  at  a  cost,  it  is  believed,   not  exceeding 


15 

six  or  seven  thousand   dollars.     This,  it  is   recommended, 
should   be  done   at   the   earliest   practicable   period.     It  is 
deemed  a  wiser  measure  than  again  to  devote  the  Chapel  to 
ordinary  College  uses,  and  thus  to  lose  the  benefits  which 
are  confidently  stated  to  be  derived  from  the  existing  prac- 
tice.    But  the   one   or   the   other   of  these   changes  ought 
to   be   adopted,   for   the  banishment  of  declamation   from 
the  Chapel   or   College    Hall    must   very   much    diminish 
the  efficiency  of  instruction  in  oratory.     To  make  the  exer- 
cise of  the  student  spirited  and   eff"ective,   he   must  speak 
before   an   audience   and   in   a  place   of  dignity   and  im- 
portance.     Instead  of  finding  this   audience   as  formerly, 
in  the  assembled  Faculty  and  students,  he  addresses  but  one 
Professor  and  a  part  of  his  own  class  in  a  small  room.    He 
thus  loses  the  practice  before  a  considerable  assembly,  which 
is  essential  to  give  him  ease  and  self-possession  on  public 
occasions.     Besides,  the  present  method  takes  too  much  time 
from  the  other  duties  of  the  Professor,  who  could  give  more 
eff'ective  instruction  by  short  judicious  criticisms  daily  im- 
parted to  each  class  upon  the  delivery  of  the  students  who 
had  spoken  in  the  presence  of  all  the  classes.    Every  change, 
it  appears  to  the  Committee,  has  been  for  the  worse.     The 
assigning  the  exercises  of  the  Seniors  to  the  same  days  with 
those  of  the  other  classes,  has  diminished  the  dignity  and 
importance  which  naturally,  from  the  separation,  belonged  to 
the  orations  of  the  members  of  the  highest  class,  besides  in- 
creasing the  length   of  time  taken  up  by  declamation  on 
those  days.     And  the  last  alteration  the  Committee  cannot 
but  think  likely,  sooner  or  later,  to  lead  to  the  discontinuance 
of  all  attention  to  this  branch  of  instruction. 

In  this  connection  the  Committee  would  observe,  that  the 
attendance  of  the  students  on  Saturday  had  a  very  beneficial 
influence,  by  bringing  them  into  more  intimate  association 
with  one  another  than  is  practicable  on  other  days.  It  gave 
them  greater  interest  in  each  other,  promoted  their  friendly 
attachments,  and,  in  consequence,  increased  their  interest  in 
the  College,  the  bond  of  union  between  them.  They  could 
now  be  assembled  on  that  day  with  great  advantage.     It  is 


16 

true,  some  live  at  a  great  distance.  These  miglit  be  excused, 
except  when  they  have  an  exercise  to  perform,  or  are  cited 
to  appear  before  the  Board  of  the  College  ;  yet  probably 
the  desire  to  meet  their  classmates  would,  after  a  time, 
induce  them  to  attend.  The  Committee  would,  therefore, 
recommend  that  the  statutes  should  provide  for  the  as- 
sembling of  the  students  and  the  Board  of  the  College  on 
Saturday,  so  soon  as  a  College  Hall  shall  be  provided. 

There  is  now  no  provision  whatever  in  the  statutes  in  re 
spect  to  Chapel  services.    Their  permanent  regulation,  the 
Committee  think,  should  be  made  part  of  the  statutes. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  have,  in  the  scheme  of  attendance, 
reqnired  the  students  to  attend  the  several  Professors  in  sec- 
tions for  recitation.  This  regulation,  to  secure  its  regular  and 
permanent  enforcement,  should  be  incorporated  in  the  stat- 
utes; and  the  hours  at  which  the  classes  are  divided 
into  sections  should  there  appear.  The  mode  of  this  divi- 
sion should  be  alphabetical — the  first  half  in  alphabetical 
order  to  be  the  first  section,  and  the  other  half  the  second 
section. 

The  subjects  so  far  treated  relate  to  the  method  of  instruc- 
tion. From  their  consideration  there  has  resulted  the  re- 
commendation of  regulations,  the  intent  of  which  is  to  guide 
the  Professor  to  conduct  the  education  of  the  student  ac- 
cording to  the  details  of  a  system,  designed  to  efi'ect  the 
proper  training  of  the  student,  and,  at  the  same  time,  whilst 
enforcing  his  due  proficiency  in  the  whole  course,  not  to  press 
him  beyond  his  ability.  These  regulations  are  for  the  guid- 
ance of  the  ofiicers  of  the  College.  Other  statutory  provi- 
sions operate  upon  the  students  to  secure  their  attention, 
proficiency  and  good  behavior.  They  relate  to  Tests  of  Pro- 
ficiencij^  Rewards^  Offences  and  Punishments. 

TESTS   OF   rKOFICIENCT. 

The  Committee  have  addressed  to  the  orentlemen  whose 
statements  are  submitted  the  question  whether  the  students 
should  be  strictly  required  to  master  the  course  of  instruc- 
tion, or  whether  allowance  ought  to  be  made  for  those  who, 


17 

from  want  of  capacity  or  indolence,  fail  to  do  so.  The  an- 
swers received  have  been  very  nearly  uniform  in  favor  of 
strictness  in  this  respect,  with  the  qualification,  however,  that 
the  same  degree  of  proficiency  should  not  be  required  from 
all  students.  It  is  urged,  however,  that  the  sons  of  wealthy 
parents,  who  have  not  the  stimulus  to  exertion  possessed  by 
those  in  less  prosperous  worldly  condition,  may  derive  some 
advantage  from  the  College  course,  although  negligent,  and 
be  thus  taught  to  use  the  influence  of  their  position  to  better 
ends  than  they  would  had  they  not  this  advantage  ;  and  that, 
therefore,  the  College  ought  to  be  indulgent  towards  them. 
But,  indeed,  true  charity  to  rich  students  as  well  as  regard 
to  their  classmates,  admonishes  us  to  make  necessity  a  spur 
to  the  performance  of  duty.  The  habit  of  study  renders 
study  easy  and  pleasant.  The  object  of  the  Institution  is 
mental  discipline.  If  mental  indolence  be  indulged,  instead 
of  mental  activity  enforced,  we  do  positive  injury  instead  of 
good ;  and  the  contagion  of  such  examples  is  inevitable. 
Besides,  what  is  exacted  from  one  must  be  exacted  from  an- 
other, and  what  is  tolerated  in  one  must  be  tolerated  in  an- 
other. Any  such  distinction  is  therefore  unjust  in  itself,  and 
if  once  made,  must  necessarily  render  impossible  strict  dis- 
cipline in  any  case.  Nor,  indeed,  is  it  believed  that  there  is 
any  ground,  in  fact,  for  an  exception  in  favor  of  such  a  class 
of  students.  They  would  be  ashamed  to  claim  any  such  ex- 
emption from  ordinary  rules,  and  on  all  the  members  of  their 
respective  classes  being  graded  according  to  their  real  merits, 
these  would  usually  be  found  not  below  their  fellows ;  nor 
do  the  Committee  believe  that  such  students  would  be  led  to 
attend  other  institutions  less  rigorous.  There  can,  however, 
be  no  doubt  that  allowance  must  be  made  for  lack  of  intel- 
lectual capacity ;  this  may  readily  be  done,  through  a  uni- 
form system  of  marks,  such  as  has  lately  been  adopted  by  the 
Faculty,  by  declaring  an  average,  below  which  if  a  student 
fall,  he  will  not  be  permitted  to  proceed  with  his  class.  This 
average  siiould  be  placed  at  such  a  grade  as  not  to  exclude 
students  of  dull  or  slow  minds,  who  are  yet  faithful  and  dili- 
gent ;  and  if  any  prove  to  be  so  dull  and  slow  as  to  be  un- 

2 


IS 

able  to  attain  tin's  average,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  they  are 
uiiaMe  to  profit  by  the  College  course,  and  had  better  -with- 
draw from  the  Institution,  or  become  members  of  a  lower 
class. 

It  would  appear  that  such  strictness  as  is  here  recom- 
mended has  not  been  enforced  by  the  Faculty;  at  least  it 
was  not  before  the  removal  of  the  College.  The  Committee 
endeavored  to  ascertain  what  had  prompted  this  indulgence, 
and  also  whether  the  reasons  which  might  have  actuated  the 
officers  of  the  College  in  this  respect  were  such  as  to  lead  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  enforcement  of  a  stricter  rule  would 
produce  no  beneficial  results.  And  in  answer  to  the  inqui- 
ries of  the  Committee,  the  opinion  was  expressed  by  the 
President  that  the  ultimate  results  of  a  severe  discipline 
would  be  advantageous,  though  it  might  lead  to  the  training 
of  only  a  few  thorough  scholars  annually.  Such  oj)inion 
was  also  advanced  by  Prof.  Anthon  ;  and  the  doubt  was 
expressed  by  the  President,  whether  public  opinion  would 
sanction  a  strict  course,  and  whether,  to  avoid  a  large  dimi- 
nution of  students,  allowance  ought  not  to  be  made  for  de- 
fect of  intellectual  capacity,  imperfect  elementary  training, 
and  inattention  or  indifference  of  parents  as  to  the  studies  of 
their  sons.  Prof.  McYickar  expressed  his  opinion  against 
the  enforcement  of  a  rigid  discipline.  Yet  the  President 
himself  recommends  it  according  to  the  system  above  inti- 
mated, as  do  also  Professors  Anthon,  Drisler  and  McCuUoh, 
and  all  these  concur  in  opinion,  that  the  experience  of  the 
Institution  does  not  show  that  the  exclusion  of  students 
lound  deficient  at  the  concluding  examination  is  inexpedi- 
ent. Probably  the  apprehension  of  a  diminution  of  the  num- 
ber of  students,  as  a  consequence  of  a  strict  enforcement  of  the 
statutes,  has  led  to  the  laxity  of  the  ofiicers  of  the  College. 
But  it  does  seem  to  the  Committee  that  the  object  of  the  In- 
stitution is  to  educate  students,  and  not  to  have  a  large  num- 
ber of  them  to  be,  in  the  main,  very  imperfectly  educated. 
However  large  that  number,  if  half  of  them  graduate  with 
no  real  benefit  to  themselves  derived  from  the  College  course, 
(as  must  be  the  case  if  they  fall  below  a  reasonable  lowest 


19 

average  mark,)  our  office  is  but  half  performed.  Our  aim  is 
to  train  the  students  to  habits  of  diligence,  attention  and  ac- 
tivity of  mind.  Imperfect  previous  elementary  training  and 
the  indolence  of  students,  whether  occasioned  by  the  inatten- 
tion or  indifference  of  their  parents  to  their  progress,  or  by 
any  other  cause,  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  that  aim. 
We  should,  therefore,  deal  with  these  as  evils  to  be  reme- 
died, not  as  indicating  a  permanent  element  to  be  provided 
for.  As  a  continuing  element,  they  are  fraught  with  great 
injury  to  the  student.  His  inadequate  preparation,  excused 
session  after  session,  necessarily,  as  the  common  rule,  leads 
him  to  regard  it  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  he  applies 
himself  to  study  or  not,  and  to  look  upon  it  as  a  mere  pre- 
tence that  he  has  any  serious  duty  to  perform.  He  needs  the 
stimulus  of  necessity.  To  tolerate  his  indolence  is  to  increase 
it.  Thus,  instead  of  forming  good  habits,  we  form  bad.  A 
contrary  course,  in  making  indolence  a  disgrace,  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  severe  penalty,  would,  in  the  majority  of  cases, 
produce  a  beneficial  change  upon  individual  students.  They 
would  do  their  duty  if  it  were  really  and  seriously  required. 
When  public  opinion  is  spoken  of  in  this  connection  as  not 
likely  to  sanction  a  stricter  discipline,  it  must,  we  suppose, 
be  understood  as  an  opinion  to  be  evidenced  by  the  number 
of  students  found  to  attend  the  College.  Experience  alone 
can  show  what  may  be  the  result  in  this  respect.  A  better 
administration  must  be  introduced  gradually,  from  considera- 
tions of  justice  to  the  students.  But  when  a  due  degree  of 
severity  shall  be  uniformly  practiced,  we  may  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  Institution  will  receive  no  less  approbation, 
nor  will  parents  be  any  less  desirous  to  send  their  sons  to  it 
because  convinced  that  once  entered  in  its  classes  they  will  be 
both  able  and  be  required  to  derive  real  and  permanent  ad- 
vantage from  its  instruction.  A  deservedly  high  reputation 
for  efficiency  is  likely  to  attract  students,  as  to  deserve 
success  is  generally  to  attain  it.  Within  the  twenty-five 
years  preceding  the  recent  removal  of  the  College,  in  the  face 
of  a  very  large  accession  of  population  and  wealth  to 
the   city,  the   number  of  students  had   not  materially  in- 


20 

creased ;  whilst  it  is  believed  that  daring  the  same  period 
the  discipline  of  the  Institution  had  gradually  relaxed.  No 
enlargement  of  the  classes  was  caused  by  that  indulgence. 
It  would  be  well  now  to  try  the  reverse  system ;  and  we 
may  at  least,  with  clear  consciences,  hope  by  the  salutary 
results  produced  in  cases  of  students  graduating,  to  spread  a 
favorable  estimate  of  the  value  of  real  and  efficient  training 
upon  the  basis  of  a  Classical  education.  Taking  it  for 
^  granted,  then,  that  there  is  but  one  safe  rule,  which,  is  to  en- 
force the  proficiency  of  all  the  students  up  to  a  standard  of 
acquirement  to  be  graduated  by  the  fair  average  ability  of 
students,  it  is  next  proposed  to  consider  such  statutory  pro- 
visions as  are  supposed  to  be  best  calculated  to  test  and 
ascertain  that  proficiency. 

The  first  application  of  any  test  of  the  acquirements  of  the 
student  is  made  upon  his  presenting  himself  as  a  candidate 
for  entrance.  Upon  this  much  depends.  We  are  told  by 
Professor  Drisler.  as  the  result  of  his  experience,  that  the 
insufficient  preparation  of  the  students  in  the  Classics  is 
the  cause  of  great  embarrassment,  leading  to  the  ne- 
cessity of  teaching  them  in  the  Freshman  year,  and  that 
necessarily  very  inadequately,  what  they  ought  to  have 
learned  in  the  schools — this  tending  to  the  great  hind- 
rance of  their  classmates,  and  in  many  cases  leaving  de- 
ficiencies never  afterwards  removed,  and  rendering  it  im- 
possible for  the  student  to  keep  up  with  his  class  upon 
the  administration  of  any  proper  discipline.  He  tells  us, 
moreover,  that  not  more  than  one-half  of  the  entering  students 
are  found  to  possess  the  attainments  required.  The  state- 
ment of  Professor  Hackley  does  not  show  any  existing  in- 
adequate preparation  in  Mathematics.  He  states  that  candi- 
dates for  admission  had  not  always  been  well  versed  in  the 
preliminary  mathematical  studies  during  his  occupancy  of  the 
chair,  but  of  late  none  had  been  admitted  not  thoroughly  pre- 
pared. The  Committee  are  of  opinion  that  it  is  expedient  to 
secure  a  strict  entrance  examination  in  Mathematics  as  well 
as  in  Classics.  There  are  well  understood  objections  to  such 
strictness :  that  the  College  ojQTering  no  inducements  beyond 


21 

the  instruction  it  affords,  candidates  not  qualified  for  admission 
would  either  not  enter  College  at  all,  or  go  to  other  institu- 
tions more  loose  in  their  requirements ;  that  students,  not  at 
first  qualified  to  enter,  may,  and  often  do,  make  up  their  de- 
ficiencies after  entrance  ;  and  that  even  the  indolent,  though 
thej  may  not  recover  their  lost  ground,  will  yet  derive  some 
advantage   from  instruction.     The  last  of  these    objections 
supposes  that   the    evil   will   be   permanent — that  the  de- 
ficiency evidenced  by  a  want  of  due  preparation  at  en- 
trance, arising  from  indolence,  should  be  suffered  to  con- 
tinue during  the  student's  subsequent  College  course.     But 
the   Committee   have   already   expressed   the   opinion   that 
this   is   inconsistent   with    the   maintenance   of    due    disci- 
pline, and  that  such  deficiencies,  arising  from  such  a  cause, 
ought  to  occasion  the  separation  of  the   student  from   the 
Institution,  unless  he  will  join  a  lower  class.     As  to  the  first 
objection,  if  we  are  convinced  that  the  prescribed  prelimi- 
nary preparation  is  requisite  for  the  student  to  derive  proper 
advantage  from  the  College  course,  and  to  prevent  the  re- 
tardation of  those  really  fitted  for  entrance,  it  would  seem 
better  to  meet  the  difiiculty  in  the  outset,  and  not  to  admit 
such  (the  irreclaimable)  as  must  be  soon  excluded.    The  sec- 
ond objection   has,  indeed,  great  force.     If  a  student  can 
make  up  his  deficiency,  why  not  admit  him,  and  allow  him  to 
do  so  ?     But  how  is  this  ability  to  be  ascertained  in  the  out- 
set ?     We  can  make  no   distinctions ;  all   must  be  treated 
alike.     If  so,  the  corrigible  and  incorrigible  must  all  alike 
be  suffered  to  enter  College.     Then  we  cannot  punish  for  de- 
ficiencies known  but  disregarded,  and  we   must  lend   our 
efforts  to  bring  the  student  forward  from  the  point  of  prepara- 
tion we  have  admitted  to  be  sufficient  in  the  first  instance — 
put  aside  the  proper  business  of  the  Freshman  year,  and  un- 
dertake therein  the  work  of  the  Grammar  School,  instead  of 
the  studies  of  the  Freshman  Class.     This  would  derange  the 
whole  course.     Therefore,  though  it  be  true  that  a  few  candi- 
dates  for  entrance,  found  upon  examination  not  to  be  quali- 
fied, might,  if  admitted,  afterwards  with  great  labor  make  up 
their  deficiencies  ;  yet  it  would  be  better  that  even  these 


22 

should  wait  anotlier  year  for  the  next  entering  class,  or  pur- 
sue their  studies  out  of  the  Institution  until  fitted  to  enter 
that  class  for  which  they  first  present  themselves. 

By  requiring,  in  all  cases,  adequate  preliminary  prepara- 
tion, we  will  secure  it,  raise  the  reputation  of  the  College, 
extend  the  desire  for  the  education  atibrded  by  it,  and  excite 
the  schools  to  greater  efiiciency.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that,  while  entrance  examinations  may  be  strict,  it  by  no 
means  follows  that  the  same  degree  of  proficiency  must  be 
required  from  all  candidates.  There  must  be  difi'erent  grades. 
The  same  scale  of  marks  used  for  other  examinations  would 
show  a  number  below  which  if  the  student  falls  it  may  be 
presumed  that  it  would  be  unwise  to  admit  him,  under  the 
conviction  that  subsequent  diligence  cannot  suffice  to  enable 
him  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  Institution.  In 
such  a  case  it  is  more  just  to  the  student  kindly  to  inform 
him  and  his  parents  of  the  true  condition  of  tilings,  and  to 
recommend  him  to  pursue  his  studies  for  another  year,  after 
the  expiration  of  which  he  may  again  present  himself  for 
examination,  than  to  admit  him  on  his  first  application,  with 
the  nearly  ascertained  certainty  that  at  the  end  of  his  first 
year  he  must  be  dismissed.  Oftentimes  the  deficiency  may 
be  found  to  arise  from  the  immature  age  of  the  candidate. 
Strictness  at  the  first  is  the  best  remedy  for  this,  as  showing 
to  him  the  necessity  for  delaying  the  commencement  of  his 
College  studies.  Taking  it  for  granted,  then,  that  the  quali- 
fications of  candidates  applying  for  entrance  ought  to  be  as- 
certained by  some  competent  test,  the  question  arises,  what 
regulations  are  advisable  for  the  purpose  of  securing  strict 
and  impartial  entrance  examinations,  and  of  forming  and 
pronouncing  a  judgment  upon  the  result  ?  For  it  is  manifest 
that  if  strictness  be  exercised,  it  is  highly  expedient,  for  the 
satisfaction  of  the  students,  parents  and  teachers  of  schools, 
that  both  the  trial  and  the  decision  of  the  question  should  be 
made  by  such  authority  and  in  such  mode  as  to  command 
respect  and  confidence. 

Upon  examining  the  statutes  we  find  no  provisions  in  re- 
gard to  entrance  examinations.     Chapter  IV.  declares  the 


23 

pre-requisites  for  admission ;  but  nowhere  is  it  declared  in 
what  manner  they  shall  be  ascertained.  Under  the  power, 
however,  to  make  all  such  regulations  for  tlie  better  execu- 
tion of  the  Colleo;e  svstem  as  shall  not  contravene  the  charter, 
the  statutes  nor  the  orders  of  the  Trustees,  it  is  believed  tlie 
Board  of  the  College  have  power  to  regulate  this  subject. 
They  do  not  appear  to  have  done  so:  and  the  Committee 
suppose  that  entrance  examinations  are  of  sufficient  impor- 
tance to  require  permanent  statutory  provisions  concerning 
them.  The  Committee  find  that  the  custom  prevailing  during 
the  Presidencj'of  Dr.  Harris  presents  a  marked  contrast  with 
that  now  in  force.  We  quote  Professor  Anthon's  testimony 
as  to  the  former  practice.  He  says:  "The  applicants  for 
admission  were  formed  into  one  large  class,  and  each  student 
was  publicly  examined  by  the  Mathematical  and  Classical 
Professor.  The  Board  were  generally  in  full  attendance, 
together  with  the  President;  minutes  were  taken  of  the  per- 
formance of  the  candidates  by  the  attending  Professors, 
whether  examining  or  not,  and  referred  to  in  determining 
their  votes  as  to  their  admission,  and  relative  order  of  merit 
on  admission.  At  the  end  of  the  examination  by  book,  in 
the  Classical  department,  a  piece  of  English  was  given  out 
to  the  candidates,  which  they  were  required  to  turn  into 
grammatical  Latin  before  leaving  the  examination  room,  to 
which  fictitious  names  were  to  be  appended ;  and  it  was 
generally  understood  that  this  last  mentioned  exercise  carried 
with  it  the  greatest  weight  in  determinins;  the  relative  merit 
on  admission.  ]^o  candidate  was  allowed  to  hold  communi- 
cation with  another  while  so  turning  the  piece  of  English 
into  Latin.  The  examinations  were  extremely  rigid,  due  al- 
lowance being  made  for  any  trepidation  on  the  part  of  the 
candidate.  The  Faculty  then  held  a  meeting,  at  which  they 
compared  notes  and  settled,  the  relative  position  of  the  can- 
didates by  number ;  and  the  result  was  then  formally  an- 
nounced by  the  President  in  the  College  Chapel."  To  this 
may  be  added  the  well-understood  fact,  that  such  examina- 
tions were  uniformly  attended  by  the  masters  of  the  schools, 
who  exhibited  the  greatest  interest  in  the  test  thns  applied 


24 

to  their  pnpils,  and  a  just  pride  if  one  of  them  could  obtain 
the  first  place,  an  honor  regarded  as  very  important. 

Contrast  with  this  the  present  practice.  Professor  Hack- 
ley  stated,  on  the  8th  of  July,  1856,  in  relation  to  the  two 
entrance  examinations  then  last  past,  that  there  were  some 
students  examined  at  the  time  publicly  appointed,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  President  and  of  the  Professors  instructing  the 
Freshman  Class.  One-half  of  the  whole  class  came  from  the 
College  Grammar  School,  and  were  not  examined  at  all,  but 
were  admitted  on  the  certificate  of  the  Rector  of  that  school, 
(which  appears  to  have  been  the  uniform  practice  ;)  of  the 
remaining  number,  not  more  than  one-half  were  examined  at 
the  appointed  time  and  place.  It  farther  appears,  that  two 
days  are  publicly  appointed  by  the  President,  upon  either  of 
which  students  may  present  themselves  for  examination  ;  the 
one  at  the  close  of  the  concluding  examination  of  the  under- 
graduates, and  the  other  the  Saturday  before  the  first  Monday 
in  October  ;  and  that  all  students  applying  after  the  last  day 
are  privately  examined,  without  any  excuse  required  for  not 
applying  at  the  time  prescribed.  The  President  and  all  the 
Professors  state  that  none  of  the  ofiicers  of  the  College  are 
present  at  either  of  the  appointed  examinations,  except  the 
President  and  the  Professors  instructing  the  Freshman  Class. 
The  mode  of  conducting  the  examinations  on  such  occa- 
sions is  clearly  detailed  by  Professor  Drisler.  At  the  time  of 
which  the  Professor  was  speaking,  before  the  recent  removal 
of  the  College,  the  candidates  were  assembled  in  the  Chapel ; 
the  Classical  Professor  took  his  seat  at  a  table,  at  one 
end  of  the  platform,  which  extended  across  the  upper 
side  of  the  Chapel,  and  the  Professor  of  Mathematics  stood 
or  sat  near  his  black  board  at  the  other  and  opposite 
end  of  the  platform,  the  President  being  seated  midway 
between  them  ;  then  one  student  was  called  up  by  the  Presi- 
dent to  be  examined  by  one  Professor,  and  another  by 
the  other  Professor,  and  the  examination  of  both  proceeded 
simultaneously.  This  statement  is  enough  to  show  that 
neither  the  President  nor  any  of  the  candidates  not  under 
examination  could  judge  of  the  performances  of  the  students 


25 

examined  under  such  circumstances.  The  examinations  were 
made  in  a  phice  that  might  be  called  public,  if  the  public 
were  invited  to  attend,  but  they  were  substantially  private. 

It  is  also  estabiished  b^  the  testimony,  that  the  President 
in  effect  decides  as  to  whether  the  candidates  shall  be  ad- 
mitted, not,  indeed,  in  opposition  to  the  examining  Professors ; 
but  he  claims  it  as  resting  entirely  in  his  own  discretion,  and 
the  question  is  never  brought  before  or  determined  by  the 
Board  of  the  College. 

It  seems  to  the  Committee  that  the  earlier  practice  was 
the  better,  and  presented  advantages  which  the  latter  wants. 
Thus,  by  grading  the  students  according  to  their  relative 
merit,  as  exhibited  on  their  entrance  examination,  the  effect 
was  accomplished  of  exciting  the  emulation  of  students  and 
teachei-s,  and  thus  improving  the  schools  ;  and  then,  by  re- 
quiring all  the  Professors  to  attend,  and  afterwards  to  judge 
of  the  results  as  members  of  the  Board  of  the  College,  their 
personal  observation  and  active  cooperation  were  applied  to 
secure  the  proper  performance  of  a  duty,  which,  in  its  after 
consequences,  must  affect  the  success  of  the  instruction  of 
each  of  them,  as  well  as  increase  or  diminish  the  reputation 
of  the  Institution  ;  and  their  subsequent  action  in  judging  of 
the  result,  gave  a  dignity  and  aspect  of  deliberate  care  to  the 
conclusion,  which  could  not  but  be  salutary.  All  these  fea- 
tures are  now  wanting,  and  to  secure  their  revival  the  Com- 
mittee recommend  the  following  regulations  for  incorpora- 
tion in  a  statute :  That  all  candidates  for  entrance  into 
the  Freshman  Class  shall  be  assembled  in  the  College  Hall 
on  the  Monday  preceding  the  commencement  of  the  fall 
term,  in  t  je  presence  of  the  President  and  all  the  Professors, 
and  shall  be  examined  by  the  Professors  instructing  tlie 
Freshman  Class.  That  they  shall  be  graded  in  order  of 
merit,  by  a  number  affixed  to  the  performance  of  each,  ex- 
pressing both  absolute  and  relative  merit,  according  to  the 
system  used  for  other  examinations ;  and  if  any  candidate 
shall  fail  to  attain  a  prescribed  minimum  number  in  any  de- 
partment, (to  be  by  general  regulation  settled  by  the  Board 
of  the  College,)  he  shall  be  deemed  unfit  to  enter.    The  pa- 


26 

rents  and  guardians  of  candidates,  and  the  teachers  under 
whose  instruction  they  have  been  prepared  for  entrance,  but 
no  other  persons  shall  be  invited  to  attend.  It  shall  be  the 
duty  of  the  Board  of  the  College,  at  a  meeting  to  be  held 
after  the  conclusion  of  the  examination,  to  judge  and  deter- 
mine whether  the  candidates,  severally,  shall  be  admitted, 
and  also  as  to  the  absolute  and  relative  merit  of  each ;  and 
tiie  result  of  their  deliberation  shall  be  recorded  in  their 
minutes,  as  to  the  merit  and  order  of  the  admitted  candidates, 
and  shall  be  announced  by  the  President,  in  the  Hall, 
at  some  convenient  time,  of  which  the  persons  present 
sliall  be  informed  at  the  conclusion  of  the  examination. 
The  Committee  specify  the  use  of  the  College  Hall  for  en- 
trance examinations,  because  it  is  essential,  if  their  main 
recommendations  are  carried  out,  that  some  large  room  asso- 
ciated with  general  College  uses  should  be  selected  for  this 
purpose.  The  provisions  for  the  action  of  the  Faculty  are 
intended  to  secure  their  active  participation  in  the  examina- 
tion, and  the  particularity  used  seems  to  be  important,  in 
view  of  the  plan  proposed  being  new,  and  of  tlie  delicacy 
which  would  render  Professors  unwilling  to  judge  of  the 
examinations  of  their  associates,  unless  peremptorily  re- 
quired to  do  so.  There  seems,  to  tlie  Committee,  no  advan- 
tage in  making  the  examinations  public,  but  great  good  may 
result  from  the  attendance  of  those  immediately  interested. 
The  same  time  should  be  assigned  for  the  examination  of  all 
the  candidates,  in  order  to  give  greater  interest  and  impor- 
tance to  the  occasion,  as  well  as  to  effect  the  simultaneous 
grading  of  the  whole  class.  Inconvenience  to  such  as  leave 
town  for  the  summer  months  is  alleged  against  a  day  in  July, 
and  want  of  freshness  of  preparation  in  such  as  complete 
their  school  studies  early  in  the  summer,  against  a  day  shortly 
preceding  the  beginning  of  the  fall  term.  But  one  day  only 
should  be  appointed,  and  it  is  most  just  to  all  that  it  should  be 
as  late  as  possible,  in  order  to  give  to  each  every  opportunity 
time  will  allow  to  fit  himself  for  the  examination.  There 
may,  however,  be  causes  perfectly  sufficient  to  excuse  the 
attendance  of  students  at  the  appointed  time,  as  sickness,  to 


27 

be  certified  by  a  physician,  or  absence  from   the  city  really 
unavoidable.     These  should  be  judged  of  by  the  President, 
and  all  students  excused  for  such  causes  should  be  examined 
subsequently,  on  some  certain  day,  to  be  fixed  by  general 
regulation  ;  the  examination  to  be  conducted  and  superin- 
tended in  the  same  manner  as  the  general  examination.     No 
position  should  be  given  to  these  candidates,  in  the  order  of 
the  class,  until  the  first  subsequent  public  examination.     The 
regulations  proposed  would  subject  students  of  the  College 
Grammar  School  to  the  same  test  as  other  candidates.     This 
is  deemed  fair  and  right,  due  to  other  schools,  and  necessary 
to  secure  the  interest  of  their  masters  in  the  College,  as  well 
as  in  itself  furnishing  a  very  desirable  opportunity  of  ascer- 
taining the  efiiciency  of  instruction  in  that  preparatory  de- 
partment of  the  Institution.     Upon  examining  the  testimony 
submitted  by  the  Committee,  there  will  be  found  a  decided 
preponderance  of  opinion  in  favor  of  the  principles  which 
have  guided  the  Committee  in  making  their  recommendations 
in  regard  to  entrance  examinations.     The  Committee  think 
that  some  provisions  are  necessary  to  regulate  the  manner  of 
admission  of  students  to  entrance  into  the  hio-her  classes. 
Such  candidates  are  now  admitted  by  the  President,  on  the 
certificates  of  the  Professors  who  instruct  the  class  into  which 
the  candidates  intend  to  enter.     In  order  to  prevent  the  too 
ready  admission  of  such   students,  the  Committee    recom- 
mend  that  they  be  examined  at  the  same   time  with  the 
candidates  for  entrance  into  the  Freshman  Class,  in  the  pre- 
paratory studies  required  for  entrance  into  that  class,  and 
again,  on  the  day  immediately  succeeding,  be  examined  for 
the  higher  class.     And  the  Committee  think  that  the  regula- 
tions relative  to  entrance  examinations  before  recommended 
should  be  made  applicable  to  all  candidates,  into  whatever 
class  they  may  propose  to  enter. 

Besides  the  test  of  the  acquirements  of  the  students  ap- 
plied upon  their  presenting  themselves  for  entrance,  there 
are  provided  semi-annual  public  examinations  of  all  the  stu- 
dents. The  particulars  which  have  come  under  the  observa- 
tion of  the  Committee  in  reference  to  these  examinations,  be- 


28 

fore  the  recent  accession  to  the  professorial  corps,  are  as  fol- 
lows: In  most  departments,  al though  not  in  all,  the  subjects 
of  examination  were  marked  upon  slips  of  paper  correspond- 
ing in  number  with  the  number  of  students  in  the  class,  and, 
when  called,  each  student  drew  one  from  a  file  of  such  slips 
and  presented  it  to  the  Professor,  who  then  examined  him 
upon  the  subject  thus  drawn.  If  the  examination  papers 
were  previously  put  into  the  hands  of  the  students,  (as  was  the 
case,  as  the  Committee  have  had  reason  to.  believe,  in  only 
two  departments,)  this  mode  allowed  of  contrivance  by 
which  students  might  arrange  the  distribution  of  subjects 
amongst  themselves.  It  appears,  also,  that  except  in  one  or 
two  instances,  the  Professors  never  made  any  memorandum 
of  the  performances  by  the  students  at  the  examinations. 
The  President  alone  would  perform  this  duty.  Until  very 
recently,  none  but  a  verbal  report  of  the  results  of  public  ex- 
aminations were  made  to  the  Board  of  the  College,  and  then 
only  specifying  the  names  of  such  students  as  were  found  de- 
ficient, and  of  such  as  were  absent.  Recently,  such  reports 
were  made  in  writing,  and  expressed  the  character  of  the 
performance  of  each  student,  as  well  as  communicating  the 
names  of  absentees,  and  of  such  students  as  the  examining 
Professor  deemed  to  be  of  the  best  general  standing  in  his 
department.  But  these  particulars  were  not  reported  by  all 
the  Professors ;  some  of  them  contenting  themselves  with 
communicating  only  those  details  which  were  formerly  given 
in  the  verbal  reports.  Absences  from  the  public  examina- 
tions seem  to  have  been  very  numerous.  In  one  examina- 
tion eleven  were  excused  from  attendance,  or  excused  after 
non-attendance.  And  absentees,  as  the  President  states, 
if  their  standing  warranted  it,  were  not  examined  at  all. 
The  nature  of  the  excuses  allowed  as  sufficient  do  not  seem 
to  have  been  always  sickness  or  unavoidable  absence ;  some- 
times proof  that  their  health  did  not  allow  them  to  prepare  for 
examination  was  accepted.  In  rare  cases  only  were  excused 
students  subjected  to  an  examination  afterwards.  In  one  in- 
stance, seven  absent  students  were  remanded  to  a  lower  class 
after  a  concluding  examination  ;  and  before  the  commence- 


29 

ment  of  the  next  session,  witLout  any  examination  whatever, 
they  were  allowed  to  proceed  with  their  respective  classes,  on 
condition  that  they  should  mate  up  their  deficiency  before  the 
next  succeeding  Christmas  vacation.  Usually,  however,  judg- 
ing from  the  recollection  of  the  President  and  the  minutes  of 
the  Board  of  the  College,  students  absent  from  the  public  ex- 
amination, without  excuse,  were  required  to  be  privately  ex- 
amined by  the  several  Professors  from  whose  examinations 
they  had  absented  themselves,  before  being  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed with  their  class  ;  but  they  were  never  otherwise  disci- 
plined for  the  offence.  It  is  obvious  that  the  discipline  of  the 
College,  at  the  times  to  which  the  testimony  relates,  was  very 
lax  in  regard  to  absences  from  the  public  examinations,  and 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  students  designedly  avoided 
attendance  for  fear  of  failure.  Both  Professor  Drisler  and 
Professor  McCulloh  state,  in  forcible  terms,  the  necessity  of 
a  remedy  being  found  for  this  evil. 

The  discipline  by  the  Board  of  the  College  of  students 
found  deficient  at  the  concluding  as  well  as  at  the  interme- 
diate examinations,  has  been  very  lenient.  The  cases 
(already  alluded  to  on  page  28  of  the  seven  students,  absent 
from  the  concluding  examination  in  1856,  and  sufi'ered  to 
proceed  without  any  examination  whatever,  are  the  most 
marked  instances.  Yery  commonly,  however,  when  students 
have  been  reported  by  the  President  or  Professors  as  having 
failed  at  the  public  examination,  they  have  been  ordered 
to  be  re-examined  in  the  department  in  which  they  had 
failed,  but  rarely  was  there  any  report  of  the  result  of  this 
examination  made  to  the  Board  of  the  College,  and  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  sometimes  the  examination  has  not 
taken  place.  There  is  no  evidence  upon  the  minutes  that  in 
any  case  was  the  Board  satisfied  that  students  so  failing  had 
made  up  their  deficiency  before  they  were  allowed  to  rejoin 
their  classes.  Such  examinations,  when  they  took  place, 
were  always  made  by  the  Professors  privately.  The  Commit- 
tee would  not  be  understood  to  say  that  students  failing  at 
public  examinations,  were  always  allowed  to  retain  their  con- 
nection with  the  Institution.     There  are  occasional  cases  of 


30 

greater  severitj,  but  usually  after  a  probation  succeeding  a 
failure.  The  Committee  have  thus  endeavored  to  disclose 
the  state  of  the  discii^line  of  the  Institution  respecting  the 
public  examinations,  simply  in  order  to  show  the  necessity 
of  a  statutory  remedy  to  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  for  the 
future,  the  existence  of  the  evils  thus  made  manifest.  These 
evils  are  the  want  of  a  due  strictness  in  the  examinations  to 
make  them  really  what  it  was  intended  they  should  be,  tests 
of  the  proficiency  of  the  students,  and  not  a  mere  form  ;  an 
absence  of  a  due  superintendence  and  direction,  and  ofiicial 
cognizance  of  such  examinations  by  the  authorities  of  the 
College  other  than  the  examining  Professors  ;  the  occurrence 
of  numerous  absences  without  check  or  punishment  for  the 
offence  ;  and  the  want  of  an  adequate  discipline  of  students 
when  found  deficient.  The  present  statute  requires  these 
examinations  to  be  close  and  rigid.  The  Committee  do  not 
think  they  have  always  been  so.  But  the  statute  certainly 
gives  to  the  Board  a  discretion  to  exclude  a  student,  found  at 
the  concluding  examination  to  be  deficient  in  the  studies  of 
the  preceding  year,  from  proceeding  to  a  higher  class,  or  to 
allow  him  to  proceed.  In  that  respect  the  action  of  that 
Board  has  been  strictly  within  their  powers.  In  other  re- 
spects the  discipline,  in  regard  to  the  examinations,  cannot 
be  justified,  although  a  long  continuance  of  usages  must 
have  made  it  very  diflicult  for  the  Faculty  as  a  Board,  by 
interference  under  their  general  power  of  regulation,  to  in- 
terpose an  effectual  remedy. 

There  are  two  objects  which  ought  to  be,  if  possible,  at- 
tained through  means  of  the  public  examinations  of  the 
students  ;  first,  a  test  of  the  proficiency  of  the  pupils,  accord- 
ing to  the  results  of  which,  taken  in  due  connection  with  the 
character  of  their  performances  in  the  lecture-room,  they 
shall  take  grade  or  be  separated  from  the  College ;  and, 
second,  a  test  of  the  efiiciency  of  the  instruction ;  for  if  it 
should  be  known  that  at  successive  examinations  a  large 
proportion  of  the  students,  of  fair  standing  in  other  depart- 
ments, were  grossly  deficient  in  one,  it  would  indicate  some 
defect  in  the  instruction.     It  is  only  on  such  occasions  that 


31 

the  effect  of  the  Professor's  instruction  upon  whole  classes  is 
brouaht  under  observation.  It  therefore  seems  important  to 
attain,  if  possible,  both  of  such  objects.  But  neither  of  them 
can  at  all  times  be  secured  if  each  Professor  has  the  sole 
control  of  the  examination  upon  the  subjects  of  his  course  ; 
because,  under  certain  circumstances,  there  may  be  tempta- 
tion to  give  such  facilities  to  the  students  examined  as  would 
render  the  result  an  unreliable  indication  of  the  attainments 
of  the  students.  This  is  the  present  method,  and  it  consti- 
tutes the  chief  defect  in  the  existing  practice.  The  remedy 
is  to  provide  for  an  efficient  superintendence  and  direction 
of  the  examinations  ou  the  part  of  the  officers  of  the  College 
other  than  the  examining  Professor. 

Experts  in  the  several  departments  of  knowledge,  who  are 
not  officers  of  the  Institution,  might  be  appointed  to  conduct 
the  examinations  and  to  report  the  results  to  the  President.  If 
such  experts,  perfectly  qualified,  could  readily  be  found  will- 
ing to  assume  the  office,  this,  at  first  sight,  would  appear  to 
be  the  most  effectual  means  to  attain  the  end  in  view.  But 
the  Committee  do  not  feel  willing  to  recommend  this  measure, 
in  view  of  the  expressions  of  opinion  adverse  to  it,  found  in 
the  testimony.  It  seems  doubtful  whether  in  all  the  de- 
partments perfectly  unobjectionable  examiners  could  be 
procured  who  would  undertake  to  perform  the  duties  of 
such  an  office  in  the  presence  of  the  Professor;  there 
is  a  serious  doubt  whether  it  would  be  fair  to  the  stu- 
dents to  subject  them  to  be  questioned  by  any  one  but 
their  own  instructor ;  and  if  possible  it  would  be  better  to 
assign  this,  and  all  other  duties,  to  the  officers  of  the  College — 
by  imposing  these  upon  them  distinctly  and  plainly,  to  give 
them  at  once  power  and  responsibility  in  the  matter,  with  the 
expectation  thereby  of  securing  the  exercise  on  their  part  of 
constant  care  to  prevent  abuses  calculated  to  be  of  great  in- 
jury to  the  Institution.  Formerly,  and  until  more  recent  ar- 
rangements rendered  it  impossible,  the  members  of  the 
Faculty  would  attend  the  examinations,  but  not  with  any 
regularity  ;  and  in  order  to  provide  that  the  several  Profes- 
sors should  be  cognizant  of  the  character  of  the  performances 


32 

of  the  students  on  such  occasions  from  their  own  observation, 
so  as  to  be  able  intelligently  to  act  in  regard  to  each  case  to 
come  before  them  as  members  of  the  Board  of  the  College, 
the  Committee  would  have  recommended  that  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Boai*d  should  be  required  to  be  present  at  all 
the  examinations,  were  that  now  practicable.     But  the  pres- 
ent large  number  of  Professors  and  multiplicity  of  depart- 
ments would,  under  any  such  regulation,  make  the  examina- 
tions consume  too  much  time  and  encroacii  upon  the  periods 
allotted  to  the  studies  of  the  classes.     Still  the  same  object 
may,  perhaps  more  effectually,  be  attained  in  another  way. 
The  Professors  of  the  College  may  be  classified  ;  and  it  will 
be  found  that  the  departments  of  several  Professors  are  so 
connected  that  a  fair  special  knowledge  in  them  all,  of  the 
subjects  under  the  charge  of  any  Professor  in  the  same  class, 
may  be  justly  presumed.     Let  all  whose  departments  are  so 
connected  be  by  statute  constituted  a  Board  of  Examiners  in 
all  such  departments,  under  the  following  regulations :    Let 
such  Board,  immediately  previous  to  the  examination,  prepare 
examination  papers,  upon  which  the  students  shall  be  ex- 
amined, and  make  such  order  and  direction  as  to  the  exami- 
nation  as   they  may  deem   requisite,   not  contrary   to  the 
statutes.     The   Professor  in   the   particular   department    in 
which  the  examination  is  had  shall  propose  all  questions ; 
the  other  examiners  shall,  from  time  to  time  as  they  may 
deon  expedient,  suggest  subjects  of  examination  or  questions 
to  be  put  to  the  students,  and  shall  generally  observe  and 
note  the  result  of  the  examination  as   to  each  student  ex- 
amined.    All  the  examiners  shall  make  and  sign  a  written 
report  to  the  Board  of  the  College,  of  the  result  of  the  exam- 
ination, declaring  whether  the  examination  was  or  was  not, 
in  their  opinion,  close  and  rigid  ;  "  every  student  being  left  to 
stand  upon  his  proper  merits ;  due  tenderness  being  at  the 
same  time  shown,  that  the  effects  of  perturbation  might  be 
avoided  as  much  as  possible,"  (to  use  the  language  of  our 
present  statute,)  which  reports  shall  specify  the  examination 
marks  of  each  student ;  and  all  such  reports  shall  be  entered 
at  lenjith  in  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  the  College.     We 


33 

would  also  recommend  that  a  declaration  should  be  inserted 
in  the  same  statute,  that  the  Board  of  Trustees  will,  from 
time  to  time,  as  may  be  deemed  expedient,  appoint  experts, 
either  from  their  own  body  or  from  outside  the  Institution,  to 
be  members  of  one  or  more  of  such  Boards  of  Examiners. 

Such  a  system  would  be  calculated  to  bring  the  examina- 
tions under  a  supervision  and  control  which  is  much  needed, 
and  which  is  very  imperfectly  accomplished  by  occasional 
visits  of  Trustees,  or  of  Committees  of  the  Trustees.  What 
is  required  is  an  active  participation  in  the  office  of  exam- 
iner by  persons  other  than  the  examining  Professor,  with  the 
distinct  duty  of  certifying  to  the  performance  of  the  duty. 
Any  thing  less  must  be  of  little  value,  because  any  thing  less 
will  not  furnish  to  an  observer  the  means  of  judging  of  the 
merits  of  students  examined,  and  give  assurance  to  the  Trus- 
tees that  the  examination  has  been  properly  conducted.  A  con- 
sideration of  the  mode  in  which  the  examinations  are  at  pres- 
ent conducted  will  further  show  the  expediency  of  putting 
them  under  some  such  regulation  as  has  been  before  suggested. 
The  examinations  in  all  the  departments  now  proceed  at  the 
same  time,  each  Professor  examining  his  class  in  his  own 
lecture-room ;  none  of  the  other  Professors  are  present,  and 
the  President  can  attend  but  for  a  short  time  in  any  one 
room.  The  attention  of  visitors,  either  members  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  or  strangers,  (of  whom  there  are  but  few,) 
is  divided  and  distracted  ;  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  these 
separate  examinations,  conducted  by  the  Professors  alone,  in 
the  place  of  the  daily  attendance  of  the  students  for  recita- 
tion, ordinarily  in  the  presence  of  no  other  observers,  may 
be  regarded  by  the  students  as  of  little  more  serious  import- 
ance than  their  usual  routine  exercises.  The  measure  pro- 
posed by  the  Committee  would  remedy  this  defect.  The 
time  required  for  the  whole  examination  might  be  longer 
than  that  now  allotted,  but  it  is  believed  it  would  not  exceed 
a  fortnight. 

As  to  the  method  of  the  examinations,  the  Committee  are 
of  opinion  that  they  should  be  both  written  and  oral  in  each 
department ;  written,  to  secure  a  more  perfect  test  of  com- 

3 


34 

parative  merit,  and  oral,  to  exhibit  more  completely  to  the 
examiners  the  knowledge  of  each  student,  and  to  accustom 
him  to  the  exercise  of  readiness,  self-possession  and  presence 
of  mind.  The  students  should  be  also  examined  on  subjects 
of  the  previous  course,  so  far  as  these  may  be  essential  to  in- 
dicate the  complete  understanding  of  the  course  in  which 
they  are  then  engaged.  The  necessity  of  being  prepared  to 
this  extent  would  have  the  tendency  to  induce  them,  by 
constant  voluntary  reference,  to  keep  alive  their  knowledge 
of  elementary  principles. 

Absence  from  any  of  the  public  examinations  should  be 
regarded  as  an  oflFence,  to  be  accounted  for  to  the  Board  of 
the  College,  and  always  to  be  followed  by  an  examination 
by  the  same  examiners  who  examined  the  class  to  which  the 
absent  students  belonged,  to  be  conducted  and  reported  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  regular  examinations.  A  statute  to 
this  effect,  and  its  due  enforcement,  would  soon,  in  all  proba- 
bility, make  the  attendance  of  the  students  much  more  uni- 
form. 

The  subject  of  a  uniform  system  of  marks  to  designate 
the  merits  of  the  students,  has  come  under  the  consideration 
of  the  Committee.  The  adoption  of  such  a  system  is  recom- 
mended. Its  use  would  be  found  to  consist  in  imparting  ac- 
curacy to  the  conclusions  of  examiners ;  in  enabling  the 
Faculty  fairly  to  estimate  the  standing  of  the  students  in  the 
several  departments,  in  order  to  ascertain  their  true  general 
standing ;  and  in  affording  ready  means  of  information  con- 
cerning the  degree  of  diligence  and  attainment  of  the  stu- 
dents, both  to  themselves  and  to  their  parents.  Nor  should 
the  use  of  such  a  system  be  confined  to  examinations.  The 
progress  and  application  of  the  students  are  continually  tested 
by  their  recitations  in  class.  These  give  to  the  efficient  and 
faithful  Professor  more  accurate  means  of  judging  of  the 
merits  of  the  students  than  do  the  public  examinations.  A 
closer  and  a  continued  observation  is  attained,  and  the  stu- 
dents are  free  from  the  embarrassments  that  possibly  may 
disturb  them  on  the  latter  occasions.  The  same  system  is 
rec[uisite  for  both  classes  of  exercises.    It  is,  indeed,  indis- 


35 

pensable  in  either  to  the  administration  of  a  strict  disci- 
pline, which,  to  be  just,  must  be  accurate,  and  to  be  ac- 
curate must  be  indicated  by  a  uniform  rule.  The  con- 
clusions, thus  shortly  noted,  are  abundantly  supported  by 
the  testimony.  This  system  being  extended  to  the  exhi- 
bition of  both  the  absolute  and  relative  merit  of  each 
student,  not  only  would  he  and  his  parents  perfectly  real- 
ize his  true  position  in  the  Institution,  but  the  stimulus 
of  emulation  would  reach  a  much  greater  number  than 
it  now  does ;  for  all  in  a  class  would  have  their  due  places  in 
the  College  records,  according  to  the  order  of  merit,  instead 
of,  as  now,  a  few  only  being  distinguished  by  superior  ex- 
cellence. 

Only  general  rules  for  the  guidance  of  the  Faculty  need 
be  settled  by  statute ;  the  details  may  properly  be  left  to  the 
Board  of  the  College.  The  Committee,  therefore,  recom- 
mend the  following  provisions,  to  be  embodied  in  a  statute, 
requiring  the  Board  of  the  College  to  adopt  regulations,  by 
which  they  shall  establish — 

1.  A  uniform  system  of  marks,  by  which  the  absolute  and 
relative  merits  in  each  department  of  all  the  students  shall 
be  designated,  as  shown  both  by  recitations  throughout  the 
College  terms  and  by  the  public  examinations ;  giving  such 
proportionate  weight  to  the  public  examination  marks, 
combined  with  the  average  marks  of  the  students  for  recita- 
tions, as  to  the  Faculty  shall  seem  to  be  just. 

2.  A  mode  of  ascertaining  the  general  standing  of  the 
students,  or  their  grades  in  their  respective  classes,  expressing 
both  their  absolute  and  relative  merits;  giving  each  depart- 
ment its  due  proportionate  weight,  according  to  the  hours 
of  attendance  assigned  to  each  class  in  that  department. 

3.  A  minimum  of  marks  of  general  standing ;  every 
student  falling  below  which  minimum,  at  a  concluding  ex- 
amination, shall,  i^sofacto^  be  excluded  from  proceeding  to 
a  higher  class. 

4.  A  minimum  of  marks,  as  showing  the  standing  of  the 
students  in  each  department,  evinced  by  a  combination  of 


86 

the  recitation  and  examination  marks  ;  every  student  falling 
below  which  minimum,  in  any  department,  at  a  concluding 
examination,  shall,  ipso  facto^  be  excluded  from  proceeding 
to  a  higher  class. 

Regulations  recently  adopted  by  the  Faculty,  though  in 
some  respects  not  as  strict  as  may  in  future  be  advantageous, 
are  substantially  in  accordance  with  the  above  recommenda- 
tions.    The  fourth  head  is,  however,  not  expressly  provided 
for.     It  is  deemed  important,  because  the  general  standing  of 
a  student  might  be  such  that  he  would  escape  falling  below 
a  minimum,  yet  his  average  number  in  more  than  one  de- 
partment might  be  far  too  low  for  a  due  proficiency  ;  and 
this  would  be  the  result  of  an  excessive  attention  to  one  or 
more  departments  to  the  neglect  of  others.     The  Faculty 
could  establish  a  low  minimum  at  first,  even  as  low  as  one, 
or  even  the  fraction  of  five-tenths  ;  but  whatever  they  should 
find  it  necessary  to  agree  upon  as  such  minimum,  would 
serve  to  show  the  success  of  the  instruction  in  the  Institution, 
The  Committee  would  also  recommend  an  enactment,  that 
the  several  Professors  report  monthly  to  the  Board  of  the 
College  the  average  standing  of  the  students  in  their  re- 
spective departments  for  the  month  then  last  elapsed  ;  from 
the  combination  and  collation  of  which  reports  the  general 
standing  of  all  the  students  for  that  month  shall  be  ascer- 
tained ;  and  it  should  be  made  the  duty  of  the  President  to 
transmit  to  the  parent  or  guardian  of  each  student  who  shall 
thus  be  found  to  have  fallen  below  a  minimum  in  general 
standing,  or  a  minimum  in  any  department,  a  copy  of  the 
merit  roll  of  the  class  for  such  month — both  as  to  general 
standing  and  standing  in  each  department.     A  similar  merit 
roll  should  be  made  out  for  each  class  after  every  examina- 
tion, be  delivered  to  every  student,  and  sent  to  parents  and 
guardians. 

These  regulations,  joined  with  provisions  for  the  keeping 
of  a  College  Register,  in  which  the  merits  of  each  student 
shall  be  entered  monthly  and  after  each  examination  ;  for 
the  imposing  by  the  Faculty,  upon  students  found  deficient 
at  the  intermediate  examination,  the  necessity  of  pursuing 


37 

their  studies  under  the  direction  of  a  tutor,  as  a  condition  of 
their  continuance  in  the  Institution,  and  for  communicating 
to  parents  and  guardians  of  students  a  copy  of  the  statutes, 
and  of  the  regulations  adopted  by  the  Faculty,  particularly 
calling  their  attention  by  circular  notices,  to  those  relating  to 
examination  and  recitation  marks — it  is  believed  would  be 
found  gradually  to  raise  the  degree  of  scholarship  of  the 
students,  and  at  the  same  time  exhibit  to  all  interested  in 
education  the  earnestness  and  efficiency  with  which  the  duty 
of  instruction  is  performed  in  the  College. 

REWARDS. 

By  the  provisions  of  the  present  statute,  at  the  close  of  every 
examination,  a  testimonial  of  merit  is  to  be  awarded  in  each 
class  to  the  student  who  shall  be  considered  by  the  Board 
of  the  College  as  of  the  best  general  standing;  and  it  is 
made  the  duty  of  the  President  and  of  the  Professor  of  each 
department  to  award  special  testimonials  to  the  two  students 
standing  first  and  second  in  each  particular  department  of 
study,  exclusive  of  the  student  receiving  the  general  testimo- 
nial.    These  are  all  the  rewards  or  honors  provided  for.     So 
much  of  the  effect,  expected  to  be  produced  upon  the  stu- 
dents by  these  rewards,  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  awarded — upon  its  being  done  in  such  way  as  to  give 
to  the  students  the  assurance  that  the  authorities  of  the  College 
proceed  upon  a  careful  examination  of  merits,  as  the  ground 
of  their  awards — that  the  Committee  looked  into  the  mode 
of  proceeding  in  such  cases.     It  was  found  that  the  Board 
of  the  College,  in  making  their  awards  of  general  testimo- 
nials, proceeded  upon  no  precise  information  of  the  standing 
of  the  students  in  the  several  departments  of  study.     Each 
Professor  would  vote  for  that  student  he  thought  best  in  his 
own  department,  without  any  statement  of  the  reasons  for 
his  opinion,  or  reference   to   any  record  kept  by  himself. 
Again,  in  respect  to  the   special    testimonials,  these  were 
awarded  by  the  President  and  Professor  of  each  department, 
upon  the  expressed  opinion  of  the  Professor,  without  reference 
to  any  grounds  or  materials  for  his  judgment.     And  there  is 


88 

reason  to  believe  that  often  the  awards  of  both  kinds  were 
based  upon  the  general  impressions  of  the  Professors,  without 
exclusive  reliance  upon  the  more  accurate  conclusions  to  be 
drawn  from  the  marks  received  by  the  students  for  their 
recitations  and  examinations.  This  state  of  things,  it  is 
feared,  was  calculated  to  diminish  the  respect  of  the  students 
for  the  testimonials,  as  real  evidences  of  superior  excellence, 
and,  in  consequence,  to  dissatisfy  and  discourage,  with  some 
reason,  the  unsuccessful  competitors  for  them.  The  regula- 
tions already  adopted  by  the  Faculty,  in  reference  to  recita- 
tion and  examination  marks,  and  to  the  awarding  of  testi- 
monials, will  effectually  cure  this  evil,  inasmuch  as  now  the 
awards  of  the  Board  will  be  founded  exclusively  upon  an  ex- 
amination and  comparison  of  such  marks ;  and  the  general 
provisions  previously  recommended  in  this  report,  and  a 
further  enactment,  confirming  the  mode  of  awarding  testi- 
monials adopted  by  that  Board,  would  secure  the  permanency 
of  this  system. 

There  is,  however,  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  practice 
of  awarding  special  testimonials  for  proficiency  in  particular 
departments  of  study,  is  faulty.  Both  Professors  Drisler  and 
McCulloh  stated  that  it  would  often  happen  that  several 
students  had  attained  the  same  average  in  marks,  indicating 
that  they  would  each  be  entitled  to  the  fii'st  or  second  special 
testimonial,  between  whom  no  distinction  could  justly  be 
made,  and  yet  the  duty  would  be  imposed  upon  the  Profes- 
sor of  making  a  distinction  where  none  really  existed. 
Again,  the  tendency  of  this  practice  is  to  encourage  excessive 
attention  to  one  branch  of  study  to  the  neglect  of  others ; 
such,  indeed,  seems  to  have  been  its  operation,  students 
negligent  in  every  department  but  one  receiving  a  testimo- 
nial in  that  branch,  and  others,  attentive  equally  in  all,  with 
moderate  ability,  yet  successfully,  being  excluded  from  every 
honor.  The  importance  of  encouraging  a  due  proficiency  in 
all  departments,  and  of  discouraging  the  pursuit  of  special 
studies  to  the  neglect  of  others,  has  already  been  commented 
upon  in  this  report.  If  the  position  assumed  be  sound, 
rewards  ought  to  be  so  bestowed  as  to  excite  to  this  general 


39 

excellence,  and  never  to  promote  partial  application.  It 
would,  therefore,  be  the  wiser  course  entirely  to  dispense  with 
special  testimonials,  and  to  leave  all  honors  of  the  kind  {i.  e., 
testimonials)  to  depend  upon  the  general  grade  of  the  stu- 
dents, and  to  make  it  a  prerequisite  to  their  attainment  that 
the  students  aspiring  to  them  should  have  reached  a  certain 
degree  of  absolute  scholarship.  This  is  substantially  the 
view  adopted  by  Professors  Drisler  and  McCulloh  in  their 
testimony,  and  by  the  present  Faculty  in  their  late  regula- 
tions. For  example,  all  students  reaching  between  97  and 
100  in  a  centigrade  scale,  after  a  concluding  examination, 
as  the  average  of  the  previous  years  of  the  College  course, 
might  receive  testimonials  as  being  in  the  first  grade ;  those 
reaching  between  95  and  97,  testimonials  as  being  in  the 
second  grade,  and  those  reaching  between  90  and  95,  testi- 
monials as  being  in  the  third  grade.  These  numbers  are 
designated  as  indicating  a  degree  of  scholarship  above  me- 
diocrity. They  should  express  the  average  grade  for  the 
whole  previous  course,  until  the  end  of  the  Junior  year.  At 
the  end  of  the  Senior  year  they  should  express  the  average 
grade  for  that  year  alone,  in  order  to  admit  at  that  time  to 
the  contest  for  honors  students  who  might  otherwise  be  ex- 
cluded. Upon  this  basis,  when  the  means  of  the  Institution 
will  allow  it,  prizes  might  be  awarded.  The  numbers  thus 
attained  would  indicate  the  result  of  the  ordinary  tests  of 
scholarship,  by  recitations  and  examinations. 

But  notwithstanding  the  general  accuracy  of  these  indica- 
tions, accident  or  fortuitous  circumstances  might  have  their 
influence  in  enabling  one  student  to  stand  superior  to  another 
in  a  high  grade ;  and  as  these  prizes  ought  to  be  looked  upon 
as  objects  of  great  importance,  a  more  severe  contest  ought 
to  be  had  for  these  than  for  the  grades.  Looking,  then,  upon 
a  high  degree  of  general  scholarship  as  a  preliminary  quali- 
fication to  the  student's  entering  upon  this  contest,  let  all  the 
students  standing  in  either  the  first,  second  or  third  grades, 
and  these  only,  be  admitted  as  competitors.  The  questions 
then  arise,  at  what  point  of  time  in  the  course  should  prizes 
be  awarded,  and  what  should  be  their  character?  if  mouied. 


40 

what  their  amount  iu  value,  and  what  the  period  of  their  en- 
joyment? and  lastly,  in  what  mode  ought  the  relative  merits 
of  the  competing  students  to  be  tested  ?  Long  experience 
sanctions  the  use  of  prizes  to  excite  the  emulation  of  students, 
as  an  appeal  to  a  universal  motive  of  action  which,  though 
not  the  highest,  is  among  the  most  efficacious  to  induce 
persevering  application.  The  object,  then,  to  be  sought 
through  such  prizes  in  Columbia  College  would  be,  in  the 
first  place,  to  encourage  the  diligence  of  students  in  the  un- 
der-graduate  course  ;  secondly,  to  induce  such  students  to  con- 
tinue their  studies  in  the  Institution  until  the  conclusion  of 
the  post-graduate  course,  with  Buch  proficiency  as  to  enable 
the  College  to  derive  advantage  from  their  attainments.  To 
attain  the  first  object,  the  prizes  ought  to  be  awarded  first  at 
that  period  of  time  when  the  uniform  course  pursued  by  all 
the  students  terminates ;  this  is  at  the  end  of  the  Junior  year. 
By  thus  awarding  prizes,  the  right  to  contend  for  which 
would  depend  upon  the  conduct  and  proficiency  of  the  stu- 
dents, as  exhibited  by  their  general  standing  on  the  College 
records  during  the  whole  previous  course,  the  influence  of  the 
expectation  and  competition  for  such  honors  may  be  made  to 
extend  to  all  the  first  three  years.  Then,  again,  at  the  end  of 
the  Senior  year,  other  prizes  to  be  contended  for  only  by  stu- 
dents of  high  general  standing  for  the  last  year,  would  have 
their  infiuence  upon  the  performance  of  duty  in  that  year, 
and  might  have  their  efl'ect  upon  the  post-graduate  course 
by  means  of  the  provisions  presently  to  be  recommended.  It 
would  seem  to  be  expedient  to  give  a  money  value  to  the 
prizes,  in  order  to  impart  to  them  greater  importance,  and 
thus  to  act  upon  the  presumption  that  students  would  aspire 
to  their  attainment,  solely  as  a  means  of  promoting  their  future 
mental  advancement.  It  would  serve  the  contemplated  pur- 
pose of  the  prizes  awarded  at  the  end  of  the  Junior  year, 
that  they  should  each  consist  of  a  specific  sum,  payable  in 
two  equal  payments,  one  payable  immediately,  and  the  other 
at  the  expiration  of  six  months,  if  the  student  to  whom  it 
was  awarded  should  then  be  in  the  College.  But  to  produce, 
through  the  prizes  bestowed  at  the  end  of  the  Senior  year 


41 

the  effect  of  inducing  the  pursuit  by  the  graduating  students 
of  the  studies  of  the  post-graduate  course,  it  would  seem  to 
be  requisite  to  make  these  stipends  annual,  to  be  enjoyed  until 
the  end  of  the  student's  attendance  in  thepost-graduate  course, 
upon  §uch  conditions  as  may  be  necessary  to  insure  the  con- 
tinued diligence  of  the  recipients.  As  to  the  amount  ot 
each  of  such  prizes,  $200,  $180,  $160,  $140,  for  the  Junior,  and 
annual  stipends  of  $300  and  $200  for  the  Senior,  are  suggested 
as  being  such  values  as  are  calculated  to  afford  real  assistance 
to  the  successful  students,  and  yet  not  excessive.  To  this 
might  be  added  the  title  of  Fellow  to  the  recipients  of  the 
honors  awarded  at  the  end  of  the  sub-graduate  course,  with  a 
preference  of  employment  as  tutors,  when  the  Board  of  the 
College  should  have  opportunity  to  recommend  or  remand 
students  to  the  instruction  of  such  officers.  The  point  re- 
maining to  be  disposed  of  is,  the  mode  of  testing  the  relative 
merits  of  the  students  contending  for  the  prizes,  and,  con- 
nected with  this,  is  the  question  concerning  the  number  of 
the  prizes.  It  has  already  been  assumed  that  there  should 
be  established  a  more  accurate  test  of  the  relative  merits  of 
the  students  competing  for  prizes  than  is  applied  in  order  to 
ascertain  their  respective  grades.  The  usual,  and  seemingly 
only  practicable  means  of  applying  such  test,  is  by  special 
examinations.  Such  students  may  justly  be  expected  to  ex- 
hibit a  higher  degree  of  attainment  than  the  residue  of  their 
classmates,  and  for  that  reason,  and  as  a  means  of  subjecting 
them  to  an  equal  trial,  it  is  recommended  that  the  special 
examinations  be  upon  matters  specially  designated  in  the 
statute  on  the  course  as  being  the  course  for  honors,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  regular  course.  Still  preserving  the  principle  that 
special  tiaiuing  ought  to  be  avoided,  there  would  be  an  addi- 
tional course  prescribed  for  each  department  of  College  study, 
the  competing  students  to  be  examined  in  all  of  such 
courses,  so  far  as  pursued  by  their  respective  classes  at  the 
time  of  the  special  examination.  Adopting  these  principles, 
four  prizes— the  first  of  $200,  the  second  of  $180,  the  third 
of  $160,  and  the  fourth  of  $140— would  be  awarded  at  the 
end  of  the  Junior  year,  upon  a  special  examination  upon  the 


42 

course  for  honors  designated  for  that  year;  and  six  prizes  at 
the  end  of  the  Senior  year,  two  in  each  of  the  departments  of 
Letters,  Jurisprudence  and  Science ;  the  first  a  stipend  of  $300, 
and  the  second  a  stipend  of  $200,  upon  the  courses  for  honors, 
to  be  designated  for  the  several  departments.  To  mark  the 
degree  of  scholarship  appropriate  for  each  prize — to  be  abso- 
lute scholarship,  not  relative — it  will  be  expedient  to  desig- 
nate the  appropriate  number  for  each.  Thus,  upon  such  special 
examination,  the  number  on  a  centigrade  scale,  requisite  at 
the  end  of  the  Junior  year  for  the  first  prize,  may  be  99 :  the 
second,  98  ;  the  third,  97,  and  the  fourth,  95  :  at  the  end  of 
the  Senior  year,  for  the  first  prize,  99  ;  the  second,  97  :  and 
a  student  failing  of  the  first  prize,  not  by  reason  of  his  failing 
of  the  required  grade,  but  owing  to  the  superior  excellence 
of  another,  obtaining  even  a  higher  number  than  that  desig- 
nated as  requisite  for  that  honor,  would  take  the  next  lowest 
prize ;  and  so  on  for  each  successive  prize.  The  examina- 
tion being  of  all  the  competing  students  upon  the  same 
course,  there  would  be  no  difliculty  in  making  this  adjustment. 
The  annual  cost  of  these  prizes,  if  all  won,  which  would 
probably  be  the  case,  would  be — 

Four  prizes  to  the  Juniors,  of  $200,  $180,  $160  and 

$140 $680 

Six  prizes  to  the  Seniors,  3  of  $300  and  3  of  $200, 

being  annual  stipends  for  two  years, 3,000 

Total  annual  cost, $3,680 

In  sketching  this  scheme  for  prizes,  the  Committee  would 
not  be  understood  as  recommending  its  immediate  operation, 
but  only  that  the  system  should  be  adopted  by  statute,  to  go 
into  eflTect  when  the  means  of  the  College  will  allow.  It 
would  lead  to  the  necessity  of  framing  the  statute  on  the 
course  in  reference  to  it ;  and  this  farther  duty,  the  Committee 
would  recommend,  should  be  imposed  upon  the  Board  of  the 
College.  The  scheme,  the  features  of  which  are  above  de- 
tailed, the  Committee  believe  is  well  adapted  to  accomplish 
the  object  in  view,  at  the  least  cost  consistent  with  its  success. 


43 


OFFENCES   AND   PUNISHMENTS. 

The  Committee  propose  to  notice  the  state  of  the  Institution 
under  this  head,  in  some  particulars  apparently  requiring  at- 
tention. The  order  preserved  in  the  lecture  rooms  has  been 
good,  except  in  one  or  two  cases.  From  the  facts  elicited  in 
one  of  these  cases,  the  Committee  are  induced  to  recommend 
that  a  clause  be  added  to  the  statute  of  the  behavior  of  the 
students,  requiring  them,  when  in  class,  to  attend  strictly  to 
the  exercises  of  the  lecture  room,  and  not  to  be  engaged  dur- 
ing such  exercises  in  any  study.  Ttie  duty  would  then  de- 
volve upon  the  Professors  to  enforce  this  regulation ;  and  it 
is  hoped  that  by  this  means  a  license  found  to  prevail  in  a 
single  instance  will  be  repressed. 

But  the  state  of  things  found  to  exist  relative  to  the  attend- 
ance of  the  students  requires  special  notice.  The  cases  of 
absence  are  of  two  kinds :  first,  where  students  have  been  ab- 
sent from  all  the  lectures ;  and  second,  where  they  have  been 
on  the  same  day  present  in  the  room  of  one  Professor  and 
absent  from  that  of  another.  Although  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  the  general  attendance  of  the  students  has  been 
more  irregular  than  it  should  have  been,  yet  there  is  no  de- 
finite information  disclosed  on  this  point,  nor  could  a  safe 
conclusion  be  drawn  without  a  comparison  of  the  actual  aver- 
age attendance  in  this  College  with  that  in  other  similar  in- 
stitutions. Upon  such  an  inquiry  it  was  not  deemed  impor- 
tant to  enter.  But  the  cases  of  absence  of  the  second  class 
have  been  numerous,  and  have,  as  it  is  believed,  arisen  from 
the  desire  of  students  to  escape  duty  in  particular  depart- 
ments. Such  instances  were  frequently  noticed  in  the  Board 
of  the  College,  but  no  measures  appear  to  have  been  taken 
for  the  repression  of  the  evil.  There  were  very  few  students 
called  before  the  Board  to  answer  for  the  ofience.  The  stat- 
utes give  the  President  power  to  grant  leave  of  absence  from 
the  College  for  a  reasonable  cause,  and  for  such  length  of 
time  as  he  shall  judge  the  occasion  shall  require.  This  is 
presumed  to  mean  leave  before  the  fact.  But  under  their 
general  power  to  make  regulations  not  in  contravention  of 


the  statutes  or  charter,  the  Board  of  the  College  required 
absent  students  to  present  to  the  President  written  excuses, 
signed  by  their  parents  or  guardians,  specifying  the  causes 
or  reasons  of  their  non-attendance  ;  and  in  practice,  the  Pre- 
sident has  been  the  sole  judge  of  the  sufficiency  of  such  ex- 
cuses, cases  of  such  kind  being  never  considered,  in  the  way 
of  discipline,  except  on  his  suggestion.  He  stated  that  the 
excuses  allowed  as  sufficient  were,  that  the  parent  had  kept 
the  absent  student  at  home,  or  that  he  had  been  absent  with 
his  parent's  consent.  It  is  apparent,  that  however  unreason- 
able or  frivolous  the  alleged  cause  of  absence  may  be,  it  is 
deemed  sufficient  if  it  have  the  parent's  assent.  The  state  of 
things  thus  exhibited  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  in  so  im- 
portant a  matter  as  attendance,  the  students  were,  during  the 
period  covered  by  the  inquiry,  allowed  too  much  latitude. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  Coumiittee,  it  should  be  made  part 
of  the  statutes  that  no  student  shall  be  absent  from  College, 
or  from  any  of  the  lectures  or  recitations,  except  in  case  of 
absolute  necessity,  of  which  the  President  shall  be  the  judge. 
And  as  it  was  disclosed  in  the  testimony  that  no  permanent 
record  is  kept  of  the  absences  of  the  students,  but  that  the 
number  of  absences  of  a  student  in  any  session  can  only  be 
ascertained  by  a  reference  to,  and  examination  of  the  weekly 
reports  of  the  Professors,  filed  with  the  President,  it  is 
further  recommended,  that  in  their  monthly  reports  of  the 
standing  of  students,  the  Professors  specify  the  number  of 
absences  of  each  student  in  a  column  appropriated  for  that 
purpose,  and  that  in  appropriate  columns  in  the  College  re- 
cords these  be  noted  opposite  to  the  name  of  each  student, 
as  well  as  the  excuses,  if  any,  allowed  for  such  absences.  In 
this  way  the  regularity  of  the  attendance  of  each  student 
may  at  once  be  known,  and  the  Trustees  will  have  a  ready 
means  of  information  as  to  the  average  attendance. 

It  has  also  been  found  that  students  absent  for  a  period 
comprehending  a  public  examination,  whether  with  or  with- 
out leave,  have  generally  been  allowed  to  resume  their  at- 
tendance without  examination ;  and  in  one  instance,  a  stu- 
dent absent  during  the  whole  of  the  Sophomore  year,  was 


45 

admitted  to  the  Junior,  without  examination  and  without 
having  pursued  the  studies  of  the  Sophomore  Class.  How- 
ever justifiable  or  allowable  his  absence,  no  student  ought 
thus  to  be  suffered  to  escape  the  ordinary  and  salutary  trials 
of  proficiency  to  which  his  fellows  are  subjected,  or  to  pro- 
ceed without  its  being  known  that  he  is  duly  qualified  to 
do  so.  The  provision  already  recommended  relative  to  ab- 
sence from  examinations,  would  probably  furnish  the  requi- 
site remedy. 

On  the  subject  of  the  statute  entitled  of  Crimes  and  Pun- 
ishments :  The  Committee  would  recommend  the  substitu- 
tion of  the  term  "  offences "  for  "  crimes"'  in  the  title  of  the 
statute.     Among  the  punishments  there  mentioned  as  appro- 
priate to  certain  misconduct,  is  that  of  degradation.     It  is 
susceptible  of  two  applications  ;  one  as  involving  the  degra- 
dation from  honors,  and  the  other  as  displacing  a  student  from 
his  class  and.  remanding  him  to  a  lower  one.     The  statute, 
however,  uses  the  term  degradation  simply,  without  specify- 
ing whether  both  or  one  only  of  these  senses  is  intended ; 
and  it  is  made  applicable  both  to  off'ences  against  good  order 
and  neglect  of  studies.     Upon  the  question  of  the  propriety 
of  the  use  of  this  punishment  for  neglect  of  studies,  it  may 
be  remarked  that  ordinarily  the  provisions  heretofore  recom- 
mended in  this  report  would,  of  themselves,  operate  as  an 
effective  punishment  for  this  ofience,  and  at  every  examina- 
tion would,  in  reality,  degrade  the  student,  by  lowering  his 
standing.     Thus  his  deficiency  would  be  apparent  at  the  end 
of  the  first  month  after  it  commenced,  and  would  then  be 
communicated  to  his  parent.    At  either  examination  it  would 
also  appear  and  would  lower  his  standing,  and  likewise  be 
communicated  to  his  parent,  and  the  further  penalties  would 
follow  at   the  intermediate  examination   of  his   being  put 
under  the  charge  of  a  tutor,  and  at  the  concluding  examina- 
tion of  his  being  excluded  from  proceeding  to  a  higher  class. 
At  any  time  intermediate  between  the  examinations  a  forfeit- 
ure of  grade  alone  would  have  no  real  operation,  for  the  fact 
would   still  remain   that   the   degraded   student  had   once 
earned  it,  and  the  credit  would  attach  to  him  notwithstand- 


46 

ing  his  punishment.  But  a  student  coming  under  censure  in 
any  of  these  modes,  might  justly  lose  any  semi-annual  prize 
payment,  payable  after  such  censure  incurred  ;  as  he  ought 
also  to  do  if  susi:)ended,  dismissed  or  expelled.  This  would 
properly  be  provided  for  in  the  statute  on  prizes.  Independ- 
ently of  this,  the  provisions  above  alluded  to  would  necessa- 
rily and  sufficiently  work  the  actual  degradation  of  a  student 
neglecting  his  studies,  or  guilty  of  other  misconduct,  under 
such  a  system  of  demerit  marks  as  the  Faculty  might  think 
proper  to  adopt.  But  for  specific  acts  of  disorder,  which 
may  be  prompted  by  a  momentary  indiscretion,  the  Com- 
mittee think  that  it  is  better  not  to  affect  directly  the  literary 
standing  of  the  students  in  any  way,  through  a  punishment 
administered  for  that  offence.  For  these  reasons  they  recom- 
mend that  degradation  be  expunged  from  the  statute. 

The  same  reasoning  would  apply  to  the  punishments  of 
admonition,  suspension,  dismission  and  expulsion,  prescribed, 
in  the  same  connection,  in  the  first  section  of  the  statute  on 
Crimes  and  Punishments,  as  appropriate  for  a  student  neg- 
lecting his  studies.  The  ultimate  result  of  such  neglect 
upon  his  standing,  and  the  other  penalties,  recommended  as 
proper  to  be  attached  to  it,  would  perfectly  answer  the  ends 
of  discipline ;  and  faithfully  carried  out,  would  make  the  ne- 
cessity of  continued  diligence  ever  present  to  the  mind  of 
the  students,  and  at  the  same  time,  relieve  the  Faculty  from 
the  necessity  of  dealing  with  such  deficiency  in  any  other 
mode. 

Leaving  out  degradation,  the  punishments  provided  by 
statute  are  admonition,  suspension,  dismission  and  expulsion. 
There  is  question  neither  of  the  propriety  nor  necessity  for 
the  regulation  of  the  first  or  the  last  of  these.  Concerning, 
however,  the  appropriateness  of  suspension  and  dismission, 
as  College  punishments,  and  the  regulations  under  which 
they  ought  to  be  placed,  there  is  a  difierence  of  opinion. 
The  intention  of  the  statute  evidently  is,  that  the  first  should 
be  less  severe  than  the  last — the  temporary  suspension  of 
the  relations  of  the  student  with  the  College,  a  more  lenient 
penalty  than  their  complete  disruption,  though  with  the  pos- 


47 

sibility  of  their  restoration — thus  forming  part  of  a  gradation 
of  punishments,  the  infliction  of  any  one  of  which,  in  a  particu- 
lar case,  it  is  intended  should  depend  upon  the  aggravation 
of  the  offence.  This  gradation  it  is  important  to  preserve. 
But,  on  the  one  hand,  there  are  no  authorized  College  tutors 
to  whose  instruction  and  supervision  students  can  be  assigned 
during  suspension;  without  which,  as  part  of  the  punish- 
ment itself,  there  is  danger  both  that  the  student  may 
lose  his  ground,  so  as  to  be  unable  to  continue  with  his 
class,  and  that  the  severity  of  the  punishment  may  be 
too  much  mitigated  from  its  being  regarded  by  students 
as  affording  an  opportunity  to  escape  from  restraint.  On 
the  other  hand,  dismission  remitted,  as  has  usually  been 
the  case,  at  the  expiration  of  a  week  or  a  fortnight  after 
it  has  been  inflicted,  upon  an  expression  of  repentance 
and  promise  of  amendment,  without  examination  of  the 
student  on  his  re-admission,  or  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  has  spent  his  time  in  the  interval,  is,  in  reality, 
a  lighter  penalty,  in  its  immediate  consequences,  than  sus- 
pension. Both  these  punishments  ought  to  be  severe.  Under 
the  expressions  of  opinion  that  have  been  made  concerning 
them,  the  Committee  cannot  recommend  the  discontinuance 
of  either.  The  object  of  each  is  to  visit  an  offending  student 
with  a  just  penalty  for  an  offence,  both  for  his  own  reforma- 
tion and  to  deter  others  from  the  like.  Thus,  although  a 
suspended  student  is  deprived  of  advantages  for  the  prose- 
cution of  his  studies,  and  is,  at  the  same  time,  required  to 
keep  up  to  an  ascertained  grade,  or  at  the  concluding  exami- 
nation not  to  be  allowed  to  proceed  with  his  class,  yet  it  is  as 
a  punishment  that  he  is  required  to  do  this.  It  is  brought 
upon  him  by  his  own  fault.  To  make,  then,  both  these  pun- 
ishments efi'ective,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  preserve  their 
relative  severity,  it  is  recommended  that  it  be  made  the  duty 
of  the  Faculty,  by  general  regulations,  to  prescribe  to  sus- 
pended students  certain  daily  attendance  upon  College  tutors, 
who  shall  be  compensated  by  such  students  according  to  rates 
to  be  established  by  the  Trustees  ;  and  that  it  be  provided  by 
statute,  that  if  any  suspended  student  shall  not  produce  to  the 


48 

Faculty,  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  his  suspension,  the 
certificate  of  the  tutor,  of  his  compliance  with  such  regula- 
tion, he  shall  be  dismissed ;  and  that  in  all  cases  of  dismission, 
the  dismissed  student  shall  not  be  re-admitted  until  he  shall 
have  undergone  an  examination  for  entrance,  to  be  conducted 
by  the  same  officei*s,  in  the  same  mode  and  with  the  like  for- 
malities and  severity  as  if  the  dismissed  student  had  never 
been  in  the  Institution.  This  may  appear  rigorous ;  but  there 
seems  no  other  method  of  making  dismission  any  thing  more 
than  a  trifling  penalty.  As  administered  heretofore,  there  is 
a  certainty  of  restoration  on  very  easy  terms ;  and  the  ulti- 
mate possible  consequence  of  this  sentence,  consisting  in  the 
fact  that  if  the  same  punishment  should  be  a  second  time 
adjudged  upon  a  student,  upon  the  commission  of  a  new 
offence,  it  will  then  be  equivalent  to  expulsion,  is  so  remote 
as  not  to  be  very  likely  to  be  present  to  the  mind  of  the  stu- 
dent as  a  part  of  the  penalty  he  may  incur  by  aggravated 
misconduct.  Nor  does  it  seem  that  the  College  can  assume 
any  control  or  direction  of  a  student  whilst  his  connection 
with  it  is  completely  severed,  as  may  be  done  when  his  en- 
joyment of  the  ordinary  privileges  of  the  student  is  only  sus- 
pended. In  the  one  case  the  College  can  preserve  a  direction 
and  control  of  him,  while  in  the  other  it  cannot. 

As  to  pronouncing  punishments  :  the  statute  does  not  seem 
to  require  that  they  shall  be  publicly  pronounced  in  the 
presence  of  the  students,  but  only  that  public  admonition 
shall  be  so  pronounced.  It  prescribes  that  when  public  they 
shall  be  according  to  a  written  form,  prepared  by  the  Presi- 
dent, as  the  occasion  may  require,  and  read  in  the  Chapel  by 
him  or  his  substitute.  Except  in  the  case  of  admonition,  this 
regulation,  as  to  the  form  of  pronouncing  jjublic  punish- 
ments, has  not  been  observed.  But  the  question  has  arisen 
whether  this  publicity  ought  to  be  given  to  any  punishments. 
It  is  apt  to  be  made  the  occasion  for  disorder  amongst  the 
students,  and  at  the  same  time  it  subjects  the  disciplined 
students  to  what  seems  an  unnecessary  degradation.  Its  im- 
mediate result  upon  the  other  students  is  to  excite  them  to 
tumultuous  expressions  of  dissatisfaction ;  and  the  moral  effect 


49 

upon  them  of  the  knowledge,  that  a  student  has  had  inflicted 
upon  him  a  certain  punishment  for  a  particular  ofience, 
will  be  sufliciently  accomplished  by  leaving  it  to  them  to 
ascertain  the  fact  in  their  own  way.  It  will  certainly  be 
known.  It  is  therefore  recommended  that  all  punishments, 
except  private  admonition,  should  be  pronounced  by  the 
President  to  the  students  affected,  immediately  after  they 
shall  be  adjudged,  in  the  presence  of  the  Faculty  alone. 
Private  admonition  should  be  administered  by  the  President 
in  the  presence  only  of  the  student. 

In  order  to  secure  certainty  as  to  the  terms  of  the  sentence 
of  the  Board  upon  an  oflfendiug  student,  it  is  further  recom- 
mended that  all  such  sentences  be  reduced  to  writing,  passed 
upon  by  the  Board  in  that  form,  before  thej^are  pronounced, 
and  be  read  to  the  students  whom  they  affect,  when  an- 
nounced to  them. 

In  speaking  of  punishments,  the  Committee  have  enume- 
rated those  that  are  provided  by  statute,  and  have  recom- 
mended certain  regulations  to  be  made  concerning  them. 
But  the  labors  of  the  Committee  and  the  action  of  the  Trus- 
tees on  such  subjects  will  be  barren  of  any  useful  result  if 
the  statutes  deliberately  enacted  are  not  observed  and  com- 
plied with  by  the  authorities  of  the  College  in  administering 
discipline. 

The  punishments,  which  it  is  declared  the  Board  of  the  Col- 
lege may  inflict  are  these :  admonition,  degradation,  sus- 
pension, dismission  and  expulsion,  and,  in  addition,  prohibiting 
a  student  from  proceeding  with  his  class,  after  a  concluding 
examination,  for  lack  of  proficiency.  The  particular  enume- 
ration of  these  excludes  all  others  ;  yet  a  new  designation  of 
punishment  was  adopted  in  many  cases,  and  repeatedly 
students  were  sentenced  "  to  be  dropped  from  the  rolls  of 
the  College."  When  asked  what  was  intended  by  this,  Was 
it  used  as  equivalent  to  expulsion,  or  as  equivalent  to  dismis- 
sion ?  the  President  and  Professors  examined  on  this  subject 
stated  that  it  was  in  effect  expulsion,  without  the  stigma 
of  the  name.  It  is  not  perceived  that  if  the  statute  gave  the 
punishment  one  name,  there  was  in  the  Faculty  any  power 

4 


50 

to  give  it  another.  But  it  would  appear  that  with  its  change 
of  name  there  was  wrought  a  change  of  the  substance  of  the 
thing,  for  in  more  than  one  instance  students  dropped  from 
the  rolls  were  re-admitted.  This  is  proof  of  the  evil  of  per- 
mitting any  departure  from  the  regulations  prescribed  by  the 
Trustees. 

But  the  Board  of  the  College  have  thought  it  expedient  to 
adopt  this  designation  for  a  final  separation  from  the  College 
with  a  view  to  avoid  inflicting  the  disgrace  implied  by  ex- 
pulsion. If  the  separation  thus  adjudged  had  in  all  cases 
been  final,  there  would  be  less  cause  for  remark.  Yet,  at  all 
events,  it  is  well  to  look  into  the  nature  of  the  offences  for 
which  this  new  and  mitigated  penalty  was  thought  to  be  ap- 
propriate. It  will,  on  examination  of  the  minutes  of  the 
Board  of  the  College,  be  found  to  have  been  inflicted  in 
every  case  under  circumstances  showing  a  want  of  due  pro- 
ficiency in  the  student  under  discipline,  and  never  to  have 
been  used  for  other  oflences.  The  proposition,  then,  upon 
which  the  authorities  have  proceeded  is  probably  this :  that 
where  a  student  has,  from  any  cause,  failed  to  acquire  such 
a  knowledge  of  the  subjects  of  study  as  to  be  unfit  to  remain 
in  his  class,  and  has  been  guilty  of  no  indecorous,  rebellious 
or  immoral  conduct,  his  separation  from  the  Institution  ought 
to  be  of  such  a  character  as  to  involve  no  stigma  beyond  the 
mere  conclusion  that  he  was  not  able  to  proceed.  But  upon 
this  principle,  the  course  of  discipline  proposed  by  this  re- 
port for  such  cases,  will  be  found  to  be  based.  A  deficiency 
of  this  kind  would  always  be  made  manifest  by  the  first 
monthly  report  presented  after  its  occurrence.  The  student 
would  then  be  subjected  to  censure,  and  so  he  would  be  upon 
every  successive  report  made  during  the  continuance  of  the 
defect ;  and  if  the  same  state  of  things  should  exist  at  the 
intermediate  examination,  he  would  then  be  put  under  a 
discipline  which  would  be  a  new  warning  to  him,  and  at  the 
same  time  afford  Ijim  opportunity  and  assistance  to  recover 
lost  ground.  If,  at  the  concluding  examination,  all  this 
should  prove  to  have  been  unavailing,  he  would  neither  be 
expelled  nor  dropped  from  the  rolls  of  the  College,  but  be 


51 

prohibited  from  proceeding  with  his  class.  He  might  then 
either  join  the  next  lower  class  or  quit  the  College,  as  his 
desire  to  complete  his  education  or  his  pride  miglit  dictate. 
This,  it  is  submitted,  is  the  best  and  kindest  course  of  disci- 
pline for  such  cases,  as,  by  repeated  warnings  and  opportuni- 
ties for  amendment,  affording  the  best  chance  for  ultimate 
reformation,  and  eventually  inflicting  the  most  appropriate 
penalty.  For  these  reasons,  the  adoption  of  the  punishment, 
"  dropped  from  the  rolls  of  the  College,"  is  not  recom- 
mended. 

Again,  in  five  cases,  expulsion,  expressly  inflicted  by  that 
name,  has  been  rescinded,  and  the  expelled  students  after- 
wards allowed  to  resume  their  attendance.  One  student  was 
twice  expelled  and  twice  re-admitted.  This  action  of  the 
Board  seems  to  have  been  founded  upon  the  idea  that  the  sen- 
tence might  be  rescinded,  provided  it  had  not  been  publicly 
announced.  In  two  of  the  cases  alluded  to  it  was  announced 
to  the  class  to  which  the  expelled  students  belonged,  but 
without  mentioning  their  names.  But  there  is  no  obligation 
resting  upon  the  President  publicly  to  pronounce  the  sen- 
tence, unless  so  directed  by  the  sentence  itself;  and  as  the 
statute  declares,  not  that  no  stu.dent  puhUclr/  expelled,  but  no 
student  expelled,  shall  be  re -admitted,  the  Board  of  the  Col- 
lege have  no  power,  under  any  circumstances,  to  rescind  a 
sentence  of  this  kind,  and  thus  to  re-admit  an  expelled  stu- 
dent without  the  previous  sanction  of  tlie  Trustees ;  otherwise, 
by  merely  withholding  the  public  announcement  of  the  sen- 
tence, although  the  disciplined  student  and  the  whole  College 
may  and  do  know  it,  this  salutary  provision  of  the  statute 
may  be  dispensed  with. 

There  have  been  cases  of  punishment  of  classes  where  the 
attempt  was  made  to  repress  disorder  by  compelling  the  sub- 
mission and  apology  of  classes,  some  only  of  whose  members 
were  guilty,  and  not  to  punish  those  alone  who  were  really 
guilty.  It  seems  to  the  Committee  that  the  exact  reverse  was 
the  only  course  authorized  by  statute.  And  the  policy  pur- 
sued by  the  Board  of  the  College  led,  in  every  instance,  to 
an  unfortunate  issue  with  the  students,  and  to  the  ultimate 


53 

yielding  of  the  Board  to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  The  true 
plan  would  have  been  to  punisli  those  who  could  be  de- 
tected ;  or,  if  there  were  many  detected,  to  select  from 
among  them  such  students  for  punishment  as  the  Board 
might  have  thought  proper.  No  other  mode  of  proceeding 
was  in  the  power  of  the  Board.  But  in  more  than  one  in- 
stance, those  found  to  have  committed  the  offence,  after  re- 
ceiving appropriate  sentences,  were  pardoned,  upon  the  apol- 
ogy of  their  class  being  made. 

The  Committee  suppose  it  is  proper  for  them  to  remark, 
that  the  want  of  a  careful  adherence  to  the  provisions  of  the 
statutes,  in  the  cases  mentioned  on  this  and  the  preceding 
pages,  is  much  to  be  regretted. 

PUBLIC    EXHIBITIONS. 

There  are  two  such  provided  for  by  the  present  statutes  : 
1.  An  exhibition,  at  which  testimonials  awarded  after  the 
intermediate  examination  are    to  be  announced,  when  not 
less  than  two  students  in  each  class  are  to  declaim,  and  prizes 
are  to  be  awarded  to  the  best  speakers.     If  the  recommenda- 
tions of  this  report  were  carried  out,  no  testimonials  would 
be  awarded  except  after  the  concluding  examination,  and  it 
would    seem  hardly  expedient  to  have   this  exhibition  for 
speeches  alone,  or  to  award  prizes  for  so  subordinate  a  branch 
of  instruction.     It  would  be  better  to  trust  to  the  spirit  and 
zeal  of  the  students,  as  members  of  the  College  societies,  to 
encourage  and  incite  them  to  excellence  in  oratory.     The 
celebration  of  the  anniversaries  of  these  societies  would  afford 
more  effective  displays  of  this  sort  than  College  exhibitions 
held  for  the  purpose.     It  is  therefore  recommended,  that  the 
statute  relative  to  these  exhibitions  should  be  repealed.     2. 
Commencements.    Order  should  be  preserved  on  these  occa- 
sions.   Moderate  and  decorous  applause  is  consistent  with  pro- 
priet}' ,  but  nothing  beyond  this  ought  to  be  permitted.  A  more 
indulgent  license,  which  has  too  often  been  allowed,  what- 
ever may  be  the  precedents  for  it,  seems  to  the  Committee 
entirely  inadmissible.     What  is  correct  and  right  for  ordi- 
nary decent  assemblies,  must  be  required  of  us  by  intelligent, 
right-thinking  persons.     We  must  observe  the  common  rules 


53 

of  order  and  decorum,  or  suflfer  in  public  estimation.  The 
places  in  which  the  Commencements  and  other  public  exhi- 
bitions of  the  College  are  held,  are  not  favorable  either  to 
the  dignity  which  should  belong  to  them,  or  to  the  preserva- 
tion of  order.  Yet  a  great  improvement  was  observable  in 
the  Commencement  of  1858,  and  reliance  may  justly  be 
placed  upon  the  President  to  take  such  measures  as  may  be 
effectual  for  the  suppression  of  the  evil  on  all  future  occa- 
sions, and  upon  the  Faculty  to  support  him  by  the  exercise 
of  a  proper  discipline  in  the  cases  of  our  own  students  found 
guilty  of  breaches  of  propriety. 

The  object  of  the  Commencement  is  to  attract  public  atten- 
tion to  the  Institution,  and  by  the  honors  then  conferred  to 
make  known  to  the  friends  of  the  recipients  of  such  honors 
and  to  the  public  the  merits  of  the  most  deserving  students, 
and  generally  to  display  the  proficiency  of  the  students. 
Exercises  are  then  performed,  which  are  in  themselves 
honors,  and  in  which  none  should  participate  who  have  not 
deserved  this  distinction ;  and  it  may  safely  be  taken  for 
granted  that  those  students  who  are  in  the  higher  grades  are 
the  most  able  to  do  credit  to  the  College  on  this  occasion 
Moreover,  as  one  object  is  to  produce  a  favorable  impression 
upon  the  community,  tediousness  should  be  avoided,  and  the 
exercises  not  prolonged  beyond  two  or  three  hours.  It  is 
therefore  recommended  that  the  speakers  should  be  appointed 
in  the  order  of  their  merit,  as  exhibited  by  their  having  won 
prizes,  or  by  their  general  standing,  and  that  the  number  of 
speakers  should  be  limited  to  seven ;  the  scheme  would  be 
thus : 

1.  Greek  Salutatory,  First  prize  in  School  of  Letters. 

2.  Latin  "  "  "         Jurisprudence. 

3.  English  Salutatory,         "  "         Science. 

4.  English  Oration,  Second  prize  in  School  of  Letters. 

5.  "  "  "        Jurisprudence. 

6.  "  "  "        Science. 

7.  Yaledictory — ^To  be  selected  by  the  students  of  the  gradu- 

ating class  standing  in  first,  second  and 
third  grades. 


54 

Until  the  prizes  should  be  established,  those  positions  which 
would  be  assigned,  by  the  above  plan,  to  the  holders  of  the 
first  and  second  prize  in  the  respective  schools,  would  be 
given  to  the  first  and  second  in  general  standing.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  this  plan  would  work  well,  give  greater  dignity 
and  importance  to  the  exercises,  both  in  the  estimation  of  the 
students  and  of  their  parents  and  friends,  and  induce  confi- 
dence in  the  fairness  and  justice  of  the  awards  of  such 
honors. 

The  Committee  have  thus  made  such  remarks  and  recom- 
mendations as  they  deem  appropriate  on  the  subject  of  regu- 
lations afifecting  the  course  of  instruction,  and  operating  upon 
the  students  to  secure  their  attention,  proficiency  and  good 
behavior  ;  they  have  endeavored  to  show  the  present  provi- 
sions of  the  statutes,  their  past  administration,  and  the  neces- 
sity of  amendments  or  further  enactments,  as  either  seemed 
advisable.  Before  proceeding  to  the  further  heads  of  this 
report  it  may  be  proper  to  make  some  suggestions  concerning 
courses  in  Modern  Languages.  The  Trustees  have  wisely 
resolved  that  such  studies  shall  be  entirely  voluntary,  and 
shall  be  pursued  during  hours  not  assigned  to  the  regular 
College  course.  But  yet  some  regulations  in  regard  to  the 
courses  and  the  attendance  and  discipline  of  the  students, 
and  perhaps  in  reference  to  preliminary  preparation,  are 
necessary.     The  following  are  suggested : 

1.  That  a  student,  in  any  stage  of  the  College  course,  be 
allowed,  at  the  commencement  of  any  Collegiate  year,  to 
enter  any  Modern  Language  class  for  which  he  is  fitted. 

2.  That  no  student  be  allowed  to  enter  the  lowest  class  in 
any  Modern  Language  unless  acquainted  with  the  elementary 
grammar  of  the  language,  and  able,  correctly,  to  read  and 
translate  into  English  certain  easy  works  in  the  same  lan- 
guage, or  certain  parts  of  them,  to  be  prescribed  by  statute; 
and  that  no  student  be  allowed  to  enter  a  higher  class,  unless 
with  the  same  preliminary  preparation  and  an  acquaintance 
with  the  previous  part  of  the  course.  This  would  prevent 
the  necessity  of  the  Professor's  teaching  the  merest  elements, 
which  the  time  that  can  be  afibrded  to  him  will  not  allow, 


55 

and  which  is  incompatible  with  any  considerable  progress  in 
instruction ;  and  it  would  also  prevent  that  embarrassment 
which  is  found  to  be  the  consequence  of  teaching,  in  the 
same  class,  students  of  different  degrees  of  advancement. 
This  recommendation  is  in  accordance  with  the  opinion  of 
Professor  Schmidt,  on  page  4  of  his  testimony. 

3.  To  carry  the  last  recommendation  into  effect,  a  course 
for  preliminary  preparation,  and  also  College  courses  in  each 
of  the  Modern  Languages,  to  be  suggested  by  the  respective 
Professors  of  such  languages,  should  be  incorporated  in  the 
statutes ;  examinations  for  entrance  into  such  classes,  and 
semi-annual  and  concluding  examinations,  as  in  the  depart- 
ments in  the  regular  course,  should  be  conducted  by  the  re- 
spective Professors  of  Modern  Languages,  and  the  results 
reported  to  the  President. 

4.  That  it  be  optional  with  the  students  to  enter,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Collegiate  year,  any  class  in  Modern 
Language  for  which  they  may  be  fitted,  but  when  so  entered 
that  they  be  required  to  attend  with  regularity  until  the  end 
of  the  year,  and  be  subject,  in  cases  of  absence,  to  the  same 
discipline  as  if  absent  from  the  room  of  any  other  Professor. 

5.  That  all  the  provisions  of  the  statutes,  as  to  proficiency, 
examination  and  recitation  marks,  grading  of  students  and 
discipline  for  lack  of  due  proficiency,  shall  apply  to  the  stu- 
dents of  any  Modern  Language,  in  reference  to  their  dili- 
gence and  acquirement  therein,  but  in  their  consequences  shall 
extend  no  further  than  to  effect  their  continuance  or  standing 
in  that  course.  And  that  all  the  provisions  of  the  statutes 
relative  to  offences  against  good  order  shall  apply  to  the  con- 
duct of  students  while  attending  the  Professor  of  any  Modern 
Language,  and  shall  subject  the  offenders,  according  to 
the  nature  and  aggravation  of  the  offence,  to  the  same  pun- 
ishment as  if  it  had  been  committed  in  the  room  of  any  other 
Professor. 

6.  That  each^rProfessor  of  a  Modern  Language  shall  be  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  the  College,  upon  all  occasions 
when  the  conduct  or  proficiency  of  a  student  in  his  depart- 
ment shall  be  in  question,  in  order  that  he  may  be  heard  and 


56 

vote  thereon ;  but  upon  no  other  occasion  and  for  no  other 
purpose. 

The  Committee  have  now  arrived  at  another  general  head  of 
statute  regulations,  viz.,  such  as  prescribe  the  powers  and 
duties  of  the  President  and  Professors.  The  papers  submitted 
suggest  the  expediency  of  adding  certain  provisions  calculated 
more  completely  to  carry  out  the  system.  The  existing  plan 
for  the  government  of  the  College  is  as  follows :  The  Presi- 
dent is  charged  with  the  care  of  the  property  of  the  College 
used  for  the  education  of  the  students,  and  with  the  super- 
vision and  direction  of  the  Institution,  subject  to  the  regula- 
tions of  the  charter,  the  statutes  and  the  decisions  of  the 
Board  of  the  College  ;  he  is  required  to  see  that  the  statutes 
are  faithfully  executed,  and  to  rectify  all  deviations  from  the 
same  ;  and  to  report  to  the  Trustees,  .from  time  to  time,  upon 
the  state  of  the  Institution,  recommending  such  measures  as 
he  shall  deem  necessary  for  its  future  prosperity  ;  and  it  is  his 
duty  to  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  Faculty  and  on  all 
public  occasions. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Professors  engaged  in  the  sub- 
graduate  course  of  instruction,  together  with  the  President, 
constitute  the  Board  of  the  College,  and  this  Board  has  power 
to  try  offences  committed  by  the  students ;  to  determine  their 
relative  standing;  to  adjudge  rewards  and  punishments,  and 
to  make  all  such  regulations  for  the  better  execution  of  the 
College  system  as  shall  not  contravene  the  charter,  nor  the 
statutes,  nor  any  order  of  the  Trustees.  The  concurrence  of 
the  President  is  made  necessary  to  every  act  of  the  Board. 
It  is  further  declared,  that  this  Board  shall  keep  minutes  of 
their  proceedings,  which  shall  be  laid  before  the  Board  of 
Trustees  at  their  stated  meetings.  Complaints  against  stu- 
dents must  be  made  in  the  first  instance  to  the  President, 
who  may  privately  admonish  the  offender,  and,  in  his  discre- 
tion, bring  the  subject  before  the  Board ;  or  a  Professor,  for 
misconduct  in  his  presence,  may  cite  the  offender  to  appear 
before  the  Board. 

The  leading  features  of  this  system  are,  that  all  important 
acts  of  discipline  of  students  by  awarding  standing,  and  re- 


57 

wards  and  punishments,  and  all  regulations  to  carry  out  the 
statutes,  must  originate  with  and  be  passed  by  the  Board  of 
the  College.  The  President  may  express  his  dissent,  and 
thus  render  invalid  the  acts  of  the  Board.  But  in  such  cases 
he  possesses  merely  a  negative,  and  no  power  to  originate 
any  measure  except  as  a  member  of  the  Board.  This  power 
of  judging  and  legislating,  in  the  first  instance,  it  seems 
highly  expedient  to  repose  in  the  Professors,  a  congregation 
of  learned  men  associated  for  the  purpose  of  educating  youth. 
For  the  sake  of  the  dignity  of  their  positions,  and  to  secure 
the  greatest  advantage  from  their  learning,  tact  and  expe- 
rience, it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  they  should  be 
actively  concerned  in  all  measures  aflfecting  the  condition  in, 
or  separation  from,  the  Institution  of  the  students,  or  pre- 
scribing rules  for  their  government,  in  subordination  to  the 
system  prescribed  by  the  Trustees.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
President,  by  his  supervision  ;  by  the  use  of  his  discretion  to 
deal,  in  the  first  instance,  by  gentle  means,  with  offending 
students,  except  in  case  of  ofl'ences  committed  in  the  presence 
of  a  Professor ;  by  his  negative  upon  proposed  measures  of 
the  Faculty  ;  and  by  his  reports  and  recommendations  to  the 
Trustees,  possesses  power  to  give  character  and  efficiency  to 
the  Institution  over  which  he  presides ;  and  inasmuch,  if  he 
actively  performs  his  duty,  nothing  can  be  done  without  his 
knowledge,  and  no  act  of  discipline  or  regulation  be  passed 
without  his  concurrence,  he  is  subject  to  a  corresponding 
responsibility.  This,  it  appears  to  the  Committee,  is  a  wise 
arrangement  of  relative  powers  and  duties,  based  on  the  prin- 
ciple that  so  much  power  shall  be  given  to  the  President  for 
the  management  and  government  of  the  College  as  is  con- 
sistent with  the  advantage  to  be  derived  from  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  Professors.  They,  as  experienced  teachers,  con- 
stantly engaged  in  instructing  the  students  to  be  affected  by 
any  proposed  measure,  are  necessary  elements  of  a  Board  of 
Control. 

In  framing  the  statutes  in  this  respect,  no  doubt  it  was 
deemed  essential,  for  the  complete  accomplishment  of  the 
ends  of  the  College,  that  the  Professors  should  possess  inde- 


58 

pendent  authority  for  the  government  and  regulation  of  the 
Institution,  so  far  as  this  was  expedient  for  more  perfect  pre- 
servation of  discipline  and  more  discreet  regulation.  There- 
fore, it  was  required  that  in  the  important  matters  committed 
to  the  power  of  the  Board  of  the  College  they,  as  constituent 
members  of  the  Board,  must  act  in  the  first  instance,  or  no 
measure  could  be  passed — although  when  passed,  the  Presi- 
dent could  express  his  dissent,  and  thus  defeat  their  act. 
Thus  was  secured  respect  in  the  students  for  the  authority  of 
the  Professors  and  for  the  determinations  of  the  College  au- 
thorities. 

In  this  way  a  practical  construction  has  been  given  to  the 
charter.  The  second  section  of  the  charter  of  1810  (which 
is  that  now  in  force)  gives  the  Trustees  power  to  appoint  "  a 
President  of  the  said  College,  who  shall  hold  his  office  dur- 
ing good  behavior,  and  such  Professor  or  Professors,  tutor  or  ^ 
tutors,  to  assist  the  President  in  the  government  and  educa- 
tion of  the  students  belonging  to  the  said  College,  and  such 
other  officer  or  officers  as  to  the  Trustees  shall  seem  meet,  all 
of  whom  shall  hold  their  offices  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
Trustees."  The  Trustees  appear  to  have  judged,  and,  as  this 
Committee  believe,  rightly,  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
charter  that  the  Professors  should,  with  the  President,  gov- 
ern and  educate  the  students ;  and  that  under  Section  YIII. 
of  the  charter,  whereby  it  is  declared  that  "  the  Trustees 
and  their  successors  shall  have  full  power  and  authority  to 
make  all  ordinances  and  by-laws  which  shall  seem  to  them 
expedient,  for  the  carrying  |into  effect  the  designs  of  their 
Institution,"  the  Trustees  might  clothe  the  Professors  with 
such  authority,  (through  which  they  might  more  effectually 
assist,  stand  by  or  help  the  President  in  that  government  and 
education,)  as  the  Trustees  might  deem  expedient  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  designs  of  the  Institution.  It  is  an  in- 
stitution for  the  education  of  youth  in  their  passage  from 
boyhood  to  manhood,  to  be  accomplished  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  a  President  and  Professors  ;  and  whatever  reg- 
ulations seem  to  be  best  calculated  to  attain  the  object,  and 
to  make  the  instrumentality  more  effectual,  are  perfectly 


59 

within  the  power  of  the  Trustees.  The  authority,  given 
either  to  the  President  or  to  the  Professors,  was  not  given 
because  the  charter  required  it,  but  because  it  seemed  neces- 
sary for  the  more  perfect  working  of  the  College.  And  it  is 
certainly  true,  that  whenever  a  wise  distribution  of  powers 
shall  be  made  between  the  President  and  Professors,  he  and 
they  being  respectively  clothed  with  such  authority  as,  in  an 
institution  like  this,  may  best  secure  the  due  education  and 
orderly  government  of  the  students,  then  the  Professors  will 
assist  the  President  in  the  government  and  education  of  the 
student ;  and  the  Trustees  will  have  assigned  to  them  the 
duty  which  the  charter  contemplates  they  should  perform. 

Certain  questions  are  presented  concerning  the  powers  and 
duties  of  the  President.  One  of  these  relates  to  the  granting 
vacations  or  intermissions  of  public  lectures  ;  another  to  in- 
struction by  the  President.  The  statute  on  vacations,  as  it 
now  stands,  prescribes  that  there  shall  be  a  vacation  in  the 
summer  of  specified  duration,  and  also  that  there  shall  be  an 
intermission  of  public  lectures  on  certain  days,  and  during  the 
Christmas  holidays ;  but  there  is  no  discretion  vested  anywhere 
to  intermit  instruction  on  any  other  days.  Occasions  for  the 
exercise  of  such  a  discretion  may  occur.  The  Committee  are 
of  opinion  that  such  a  power  may  very  properly  and  advan- 
tageously be  vested  in  the  President,  and  they  recommend 
an  additional  section  to  that  efiect,  limiting  his  power  to  ex- 
traordinary cases,  and  requiring  that  he  report  to  the  Trus- 
tees, at  their  next  stated  meeting,  the  object  and  reasons  for 
granting  such  intermission.  The  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  the  President's  participating  in  the  instruction  given  in 
the  Institution  are,  that  he  would  thus  be  brought  into  a 
more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  capabilities  and  qualities  of 
the  students,  and  maintain  a  moral  control  over  them,  always 
the  consequence  of  the  teachings  of  an  able  and  dignified 
instructor,  which  can  hardly  be  accomplished  in  any  other 
mode  ;  and  also  that  there  would  thus  arise  a  greater  sympa- 
thy between  him  and  the  other  members  of  the  Faculty- 
But  while  recognising  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  such 
an  arrangement,  the  Committee  are  of  opinion  that  the  super- 


60 

intendence  and  direction  of  the  College  must  occupy  a  large! 
part  of  the  time  of  the  President;  and  that  it  should  be  left 
to  his  own  decision  whether  or  not  it  is  expedient  that  he 
should  undertake  any  department  of  instruction,  and  as  to 
the  choice  of  that  department.  Dr.  King,  as  the  Trustees 
are  aware,  has  had  a  department  of  instruction  assigned  to 
him,  at  his  own  request. 

The  Committee  proceed  to  notice  some  proposed  alterations 
in  the  statute  in  regard  to  the  Board  of  the  College.     As  a  ne- 
cessary consequence  of  the  independent  position  occupied  by 
the  Board,  it  is  advised  that  there  should  be  inserted,  amongst 
the  powers  conferred,  that  of  regulating  its  own  proceedings. 
The  statutes  are,  perhaps,  subject  to  the  criticism  of  being 
ambiguous  on  this  point.    A  further  provision  is  desirable 
concerning  the  minutes  of  the  Board.    The  statute  requires 
it  to  keep  minutes  of  its  proceedings.     The  obvious  intention 
is,  that  such  book  should  be  kept  by  a  clerk,  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Board  itself,  so  that  it  may  have  the  most  perfect 
control  of  its  own  records.    Until  the  time  of  President  Moore, 
the  practice  was  for  the  Board  to   appoint  one  of  its  own. 
members  its  clerk,  who  recorded  its  proceedings.     President 
Moore,  however,  upon  entering  on  the  duties  of  his  office, 
assumed  the  task  of  keeping  the  minutes — a  practice  which 
President  King  continued.     This  course  the  Committee  con- 
sider objectionable,  devolving  upon  the  President  much  un- 
necessary and  merely  clerical  labor,  leading  oftentimes  to  the 
record  taking  the  form  of  a  journal,  and  necessarily  rendering 
it,  from  motives  of  delicacy,  difficult  for  the  Board  to  control 
the  contents  of  the  record  of  its  own  proceedings.     The  min- 
utes of  the  Board  of  the  Colleore  are  intended  to  inform  the 
Trustees  of  their  proceedings,  and  they  are  submitted  monthly 
to  the  Trustees  for  that  purpose.    The  Board  ought  to  be  re- 
sponsible for  their  accuracy  and  neatness,  and  for  that  reason 
they  ought  to  be  kept  by  their  clerk.     A  provision  to  this 
effect  is  recommended. 

The  exercise  of  the  President's  negative  upon  the  action 
of  the  Faculty  appears  to  require  some  regulation,  not  to 
limit  it  in  any  way,  but  to  prescribe  the  manner  of  its  inter- 


61 

position.     The  exercise  of  this  important  right  should  appear 
upon  the  minutes.     Such  information  would  afford  an  useful 
insight  into  the  state  of  the  Institution,  and  it  would  well 
comport  with  the  relative  powers  of  the  President  and  the 
Board  of  the  College,  if  in  such  case  the  act  of  each  were 
separately  recorded.     A  provision  is  therefore  recommended, 
that  upon  any  regulation,  judgment  or  resolution  being  pro- 
posed fur  the  action  of  the  Board,  a  vote  thereon  shall  be 
taken,  and  the  decision,  if  the  question  be  decided  in  the 
affirmative,  recorded  ;  and  if  the  President  shall  then  declare 
his  dissent  or  approval,  it  shall  be  stated  in  the  minutes. 
But  in  all  cases,  if  he  desire  to  do  so,  the  President  may  state 
in  writing,  either  at  the  same  or  next  subsequent  meeting,  his 
reasons  for  withholding  his  concurrence,  which  shall  be  en- 
tered in  full  upon  the  minutes. 

By  the  existing  statute,  when  a  charge  of  misconduct  shall 
be  preferred  against  a  student,  the  Board  have  power  to  re- 
quire the  attendance  of  any  other  student  as  a  witness.     The 
expediency  of  retaining  this  provision,  so  far  as  it  enables 
the  Board  to  enforce  the  testimony  of  a  student  against  an 
accused  fellow-student,  has  been  considered  by  the  Commit- 
tee.    To  use  this  power  the  Board  would  be  obliged  to  do 
violence  to  the  sense   of  honor  of  the   students,   amongst 
whom  to  be  an  informer  is  always  considered  a  disgrace ;  and 
whether  such  testimony  were  voluntarily  given  or  were  en- 
forced, the  antagonism  between  the  authorities  of  the  Col- 
lege and  this  sentiment  would  be  the  same.     This  principle 
of  action,  so  universal  among  students,  is  founded  in  correct 
feeling,  and  it  seems  to  the  Committee  unwise  and  unneces- 
sary to  combat  it.     It  could  not,  it  is  true,  be  admitted  in 
the  state  where  no  motive  and  no  interest,  except  such  as  are 
allowed  to  protect  the  confidence  of  the  married  state,  or  of 
professional   communications,  or  from   self-accusation,   are 
suifered   to   interfere    with   the    performance   of    the   duty 
to   disclose  the   whole   truth   in   legal   investiijations.     But 
here   our   investigations   are   of    less   importance ;    we   are 
dealing  with   youtli,  merely  for   their  instruction   and  for 
offences  trivial  in  their  moral   character;  and  the  success 


62 

of  no  College  inquiry  is  so  important  as  to  counterbalance 
the  evil  which  would  result  from  compelling  or  inducing  the 
students  to  do  what  they  believe  to  be  wrong.    This  principle 
of  conduct  is  universal  amongst  under-graduates.     It  would 
doubtless  be  sanctioned  by  their  parents.    To  enforce  or  en- 
courage its  violation,  if  a  student  complies,  voluntarily  or  in- 
voluntarily, is  to  make  him  lose  his  own  self-respect  and  forfeit 
the  esteem  of  his  fellows.     This  effect  cannot  be  disregarded, 
and  especially  ought  it  not  to  be  disregarded  if  discipline 
can  be  maintained  without  resort  to  the  testimony  of  students. 
In  a  College,  where  students  reside  within  its  precincts,  and 
are  at  all  times  under  the  charge  of  the  College  authorities, 
it  may  be  difficult  to  devise  any  efficient  substitute  for  this 
means  for  the  detection  of  offenders.     Even  then  it  is  seldom 
and  unwillingly  resorted  to.     But  with  us,  the  supervision 
and  observation  of  the  President  and  Professors,  when  the 
students  are  in  attendance  in  chapel  or  lecture  rooms,  and  of 
the  Janitor  and  of  his  assistants,  when  they  are  in  other 
parts  of  the  College  buildings,  or  in  the  College  grounds, 
ought  to  give  sufficient  opportunity  for  the  discovery  of  the 
perpetrators  of  acts  of  disorder.     For  these  reasons,  or  be- 
cause it  has  been  deemed  unwise  to  invite  the  resistance  of 
the  students,  which  would  have  been  the  probable  result  of 
an  attempt  to  compel  their  testimony,  the  provision  of  the 
statutes  now  in  question  has  not  been  enforced.     If  it  ought 
not  to  be  or  cannot  be  enforced,  it  had  better  be  expunged 
than  left  to  remain  a  dead  letter.     The  Committee  do  not 
recommend  any  substitute  for  it.    They  think  that  the  prac- 
tice of  compelling  each  student  to  answer  as  to  his  own  guilt 
or  innocence  is  liable  to  nearly  equal  objections. 

As  to  the  power  of  a  Professor  in  the  preservation  of  order 
in  his  lecture-room,  it  seems  to  the  Committee  that  he  should 
have  the  fullest  discretion  in  this  matter.  The  success  of  his 
instruction,  his  fitness  for  his  position,  depend  upon  his  abil- 
ity to  preserve  order.  He  should,  therefore,  have  every 
power  that  may  be  necessary  for  this  purpose — to  admonish, 
to  cite  to  appear  before  the  Board,  or  to  dismiss  from  his 
room  for  the  residue  of  the  lecture  or  recitation,  or  until  the 


63 

next  meeting  of  the  Board.  Sometimes  the  lightest  of  these 
may  be  sutiicient,  sometimes  the  severest  necessary.  E'or 
can  such  authority  be  exercised  by  any  other  than  the  Pro- 
fessor, without  injury  to  the  respect  for  himself,  which  the 
class  ought  to  feel.  He  must  himself  maintain  order  in  his 
room,  or  it  cannot  be  maintained ;  a  resort  to  the  President 
weakens  the  authority  of  the  Professor.  Still  there  ought  to 
be  some  check  upon  the  exercise  of  the  discretion  of  Pro- 
fessors in  relation  to  the  discipline  of  students.  They  have 
now,  nnder  Section  2  of  Chapter  YIII.  of  the  statutes,  for 
misconduct  in  their  presence,  power  to  cite  the  offender  to 
appear  before  the  Board  of  the  College.  The  excusing,  by 
Professors,  of  students  so  cited,  has  been  an  evil.  The  amend- 
ment now  suggested  is,  to  give  a  Professor  power,  for  miscon- 
duct in  his  presence,  to  cite  the  offender  to  appear  before  the 
Board,  or  to  dismiss  him  from  the  room  of  the  Professor  for 
the  residue  of  the  lecture  or  recitation,  or  until  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  Board ;  such  dismissal  always  to  be  attended  with 
a  citation  to  appear  before  the  Board,  and  with  a  written  re- 
port of  the  circumstances  of  the  case  to  be  made  to  the  Pres- 
ident and  to  the  Board,  of  the  College;  and  also  to  pro- 
vide that  all  citations  of  students,  by  Professors,  to  appear 
before  the  Board,  shall  be  immediately  reported  to  the  Pres- 
ident, and  that  no  student  so  cited  be  excused  from  answer- 
ing to  the  Board  for  his  offence.  These  provisions  would 
secure  the  entry  upon  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  the  College 
of  all  such  cases,  would  bring  to  the  notice  of  the  Trustees 
the  state  of  discipline  in  the  rooms  of  the  several  Professors, 
and  consequently  tend  to  afford  one  of  the  best  means  of 
judging  of  their  several  qualities  as  instructors. 

The  superintendence  of  the  College  is  fully  provided  for  by 
the  statutes,  in  giving  ample  powers  for  this  purpose  to  the 
President,  and  by  making  it  his  duty  to  report  to  the  Trus- 
tees, as  occasion  shall  require,  concerning  the  state  of  the 
College,  and  the  measures  which  may  be  necessary  for  its 
future  prosperity.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  any  provi- 
sions could  be  added  to  effect  a  more  perfect  supervision. 
This  constitutes  the  most  important  duty  of  the  President, 


G4 

upon  the  adequate,  intelligent,  firm  and  fearless  perform- 
ance of  which  the  character  of  the  College  must,  in  ordinary 
times,  depend.  The  attention  of  the  Trustees  may  be  extra- 
oi'dinarily  awakened  to  the  state  of  the  College  upon  occa- 
sions when  abuses  have  become  so  notorious  as  to  be  mani- 
fest without  inquiry,  or  when  the  altered  state  of  the  funds  of 
the  Institution  seem  to  demand  corresponding  improve- 
ments ;  but,  usually,  the  Trustees  must  be  dependent  upon 
the  President  for  reliable  information  as  to  the  state  of  the 
College,  and  equally  for  suggestions  of  measures  calculated 
to  promote  its  greater  usefulness.  Occasional  visits  of  the 
Trustees  may  be  of  great  use,  by  showing  their  lively  inter- 
est in  the  College,  and  by  enabling  them  to  judge,  in  some 
degree,  of  the  manner  in  which  it  is  conducted.  But  they 
can,  in  this  way,  judge  only  from  external  appearances,  and 
cannot  see  the  internal  workings  of  the  system,  nor  acquire 
any  accurate  knowledge  of  the  manner  of  the  performance 
of  the  duty  of  officers  or  students.  It  may,  therefore,  be 
doubted  whether  the  measure  lately  adopted  by  the  Trustees, 
and  now  for  some  time  carried  into  practice,  by  which  the 
Trustees  are  divided  into  Committees,  to  serve  in  turn  for  the 
term  of  one  month,  and  charged  w^ith  the  duty  of  a  special 
supervision,  can  result  in  the  Trustees  being  thus  put  into 
possession  of  any  accurate  view  of  the  state  of  the  Institu- 
tion. The  superintendence  of  the  President,  the  informa- 
tion and  suggestions  he  is  bound  to  impart  as  occasion  may 
require,  and  the  reading  of  the  minutes  of  the  Board  of  the 
College,  are  features  systematically  contrived  as  being  adapt- 
ed to  the  end  which  such  Committees  are  intended  to  sub- 
serve. These  Committees  constitute  a  new  and  concurrent 
official  organization  for  attaining  the  same  purpose.  And  it 
may  be  feared  that  the  division  of  responsibility,  w4iich  must 
be  the  consequence  of  this  arrangement,  may  lead  to  its  obli- 
gation being  less  felt  in  the  quarter  wdiere  it  was  originally 
placed.  Indeed,  as  the  precise  duties,  with  which  the  visit- 
ing Committees  are  charged,  are  assigned  by  the  statutes  to 
the  President,  the  conclusion  might  perhaps  be  drawn  that 
the  agency  of  that  officer  is  not  relied  on,  and,  if  so,  his 


65 

vigilance  would  naturally  be  consequently  relaxed.  These 
objections  apply  only  to  the  appointment  of  officers  selected 
from  the  Trustees  to  supervise  the  Institution  as  a  matter  of 
routine  duty.  The  same  duty  may  be  performed  by  each 
or  an}^  of  the  Trustees,  as  opportunity  may  serve  and  need 
may  appear  to  require,  without  such  objections  being  appli- 
cable, and  such  visitations  would  be  of  great  benefit. 

Although  it  seems  proper  to  submit  these  remarks  upon 
the  subject  of  Visiting  Committees,  yet  their  abolition  is  not 
recommended.  Some  of  the  Trustees  took  great  interest  in 
the  measure,  and  were  confident  that  it  would  prove  of  great 
advantage.  Under  such  circumstances  this  Committee  would 
do  nothing  to  interfere  with  the  trial  of  the  experiment. 

THE   LIBKAEY. 

The  Committee  invite  the  attention  of  the  Trustees  to  the 
Librarian's  statement.  They  would  recommend  the  appro- 
priation of  one  thousand  dollars  annually  for  the  increase  of 
the  Library,  which  may,  perhaps,  be  diminisJied  after  the 
lapse  of  two  or  three  years  to  the  sum  of  five  hundred  dol- 
lars. This  matter  will,  however,  be  more  intelligently  dis- 
posed of  through  the  recommendations  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee. Under  the  standing  order  of  the  Trustees,  passed 
on  the  4th  March,  1844,  the  Library  is  now  under  the  charge 
of  the  Library  Committee,  which  consists  of  the  Chairman 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  the  President  of  the  College,  the 
Clerk,  the  Treasurer  and  the  Librarian.  It  is  suggested  that 
this  arrangement  should  be  altered ;  that  the  President  and 
the  Librarian  should  be  the  only  ex-officio  members  of  the 
Committee,  and  that  three  other  members  of  the  Committee 
should  be  elected  by  the  Trustees  from  their  number,  by 
ballot.  The  Treasurer  and  Clerk  have  onerous  duties  to  per- 
form properly  pertaining  to  their  offices,  and  must  always 
find  it  difficult — oftentimes  impossible — to  attend  meetings 
of  the  Library  Committee,  especially  if  held,  as  is  desirable, 
in  the  Library  itself.  On  the  other  hand,  great  advantage, 
it  is  believed,  would  be  derived  if  this  duty  were  devolved 
upon  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  selected  with  single 

5 


06 

regard  to  their  litness  for  it3  performance.  At  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Trustees  after  the  commencement  of  the 
academic  year,  the  term  of  office  of  the  eldest  member  of 
the  Committee,  in  the  order  of  appointment,  should  expire, 
and  the  Trustees  then  fill  the  vacancy  by  ballot.  Thus,  after 
this  practice  shall  have  been  in  operation  for  two  years,  the 
term  of  service  of  each  member  of  the  Committee  will  be 
three  years,  the  ordinary  contrivance  to  secure  in  a  Board  a 
continued  familiarity  with  its  duties,  and  yet  allow  changes 
of  its  members  when  deemed  expedient.  The  regulations 
for  the  use  of  the  Library,  made  by  this  Committee,  ought 
to  be  printed  w-ith  the  statutes.  A  resolution  of  the  Trustees 
now  requires  that  the  Library  be  opened  five  days  in  each 
week.  If  it  were  opened  from  one  to  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  on 
each  of  those  days,  it  would  afford  to  those  students  who  re- 
side out  of  the  city  a  convenient  and  proper  place  for  study 
in  the  interval  between  the  conclusion  of  College  lectures 
and  the  time  of  their  departure  for  home.  The  Committee, 
while  suiTfirestinff  the  several  alterations  above  mentioned  in 
reference  to  the  Library,  propose  for  the  action  of  the  Trus- 
tees only  such  parts  of  them  as  relate  to  the  constitution  of 
the  Library  Committee,  judging  it  best  that  all  other  recom- 
mendations should  emanate  from  them  after  their  new  or- 
ganization. 

In  reference  to  the  Grammar  School,  the  Committee  sub- 
mit the  statement  of  the  Rector  of  the  school,  made  in  an- 
swer to  questions  of  the  Committee.  It  is  believed  that  the 
importance  of  an  efficient  Grammar  School,  to  be  under 
proper  supervision  and  regulation  by  officers  of  the  College, 
under  such  a  system  for  its  government  and  support  as  shall 
always  secure  the  most  thorough  training  of  its  pupils,  can- 
not be  over-estimated.  To  attain  such  training  for  his  son,  in 
other  schools,  a  parent  must  incur  a  large  annual  expense, 
beyond  the  means  of  many  who  would  desire  the  advantage 
of  a  Collegiate  education  for  their  sons.  The  Grammar 
School  is  of  very  great  value  to  meet  this  want,  and  as  fur- 
nishing the  most  manifest  source  of  supply  to  the  College  of 
students  adequately  prepared  at  entrance.     The  Hector  of 


67 

the  school  recommends  no  measure  for  its  improvement  or 
support,  and  under  these  circumstances  tlie  Committee  are 
of  opinion  that  it  is  inexpedient  for  them  to  do  more  than  to 
submit  his  communication  to  tlie  consideration  of  the 
Trustees. 

The  onlj  remaining  head  of  the  inquiries  of  the  Committee 
relates  to  the  organization  of  a  University.  This  will  more 
properly  be  considered  bj  another  Committee  of  the  Board, 
to  whom  the  subject  has  been  referred. 

The  Committee  trust  that  a  sufficient  excuse  for  the  length 
of  this  report  will  be  found  in  the  numerous  and  important 
questions  involved  in  their  inquiry,  as  well  as  in  the  volumi- 
nous and  able  statements  which  the  Committee  have  found 
it  necessary  to  analyze  and  compare  and  present  for  the  action 
of  the  Trustees. 

Whenever  they  shall  be  instructed  to  do  so,  the  Committee 
will  present,  for  the  consideration  of  the  Trustees,  a  revised 
edition  of  the  statutes,  amended  in  conformity  to  the  recom- 
mendations  of  this  report. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Gouv.  M.  Ogden, 
Henky  Jas.  Andekson, 
William  Betts, 
A.  W.  Beadfokd. 
Benj.  I.  Haight. 
Dated  Kew-York,  2Tth  November,  185S. 


Note. — Mr.  George  F.  Allen,  a  member  of  the  Committee,  did  not  sign  the 
report,  owing  to  his  absence  from  the  country. 


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